It is 10 years ago since I bought my property in Southgate. Conveyancing solicitors have now been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate my deeds. Is this a major issue?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be with your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who acted in the purchase. Secondly in all probability the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Southgate involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more tricky but is resolvable.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Southgate?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Southgate. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’
I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one close by in Southgate I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Southgate for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?
If you require a home loan that many years will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.
How do I use your search facility to find a conveyancing lawyer in Southgate on the authorised to act for my bank?
1st choose a mortgage company such as Santander, The Mortgage Works or Britannia then specify your location e.g. Southgate. Conveyancing organisations in Southgate and beyond will then be shown.
My brother has encouraged me to use his conveyancers in Southgate. Should I choose my own conveyancer?
Much as we are happy to recommend a Southgate conveyancing lawyer the best way to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have guidance from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor you're are thinking of instructing.
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Southgate conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Southgate conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Southgate conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:
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What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?
I am the registered owner of a first floor flat in Southgate. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount due for the purchase of the freehold?
in cases where there is a absentee freeholder or if there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to assess the premium.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Southgate property is 23 Beaconsfield Road in July 2013. The Tribunals decided that the amount payable was £31,203 for the freehold. This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term was 70.31 years.
