Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Northolt

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Recently asked questions relating to Northolt leasehold conveyancing

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Northolt. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Northolt - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I am hoping to exchange soon on a garden flat in Northolt. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Northolt should include some of the following:

  • Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the flat, or working from home
  • You should be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Northolt please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Northolt

    • I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Northolt. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Northolt ?

    The majority of houses in Northolt are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Northolt so you should seriously consider looking for a Northolt conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

    Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Northolt from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Northolt can be reduced where you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
    • Many landlords or Management Companies in Northolt charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Northolt.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unresolved.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Organising a new share certificate is often a time consuming process and frustrates many a Northolt conveyancing transaction. If a new share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your lawyers. A purchaser's lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • We expect to complete our sale of a £175000 flat in Northolt next Friday . The managing agents has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Northolt?

    Northolt conveyancing on leasehold flats usually requires the purchaser’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries most will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    We have reached the end of our tether in trying to purchase the freehold in Northolt. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

    Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Northolt conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension case for a Northolt property is GFF 1 Holyrood Avenue in May 2014. The Tenant wished to acquire a new (extended) lease and applied to the Willesden County Court who granted a vesting order on 20* March2013. The Tribunal decied that the premium to be paid was £9,062 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 79 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Northolt