Having sold my house in Custom House last January but the buyer keeps telephoning daily to moan that her solicitor is waiting to hear from myconveyancer. What should my lawyer have done following completion?
After completion of your disposal your solicitor should forward the transfer documentation and all supplemental paperwork to the purchaser's lawyers. Where relevant, your conveyancer should also evidence that the home loan has been repaid to the purchasers conveyancers. There are no post completion procedures peculiar conveyancing in Custom House.
I have 70 years remaining on my lease and need a lease extension for my flat in Custom House. Conveyancing solicitors on the Tesco Bank panel can deal with such extensions right?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Tesco Bank have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 10/2/2025 the requirements read as follows :
How does conveyancing in Custom House differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build residence in Custom House come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is ready to move into. This is because builders in Custom House tend to acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Custom House or who has acted in the same development.
I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Custom House. I have stumble across a site which looks to be the ideal solution If there is a chance to get all this stuff done via web that would be ideal. Do I need to be concerned? What should out be looking out for?
As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?
Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Fifty years remaining on my flat in Custom House. I need to extend my lease but my landlord is missing. What should I do?
If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer both on proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Custom House.
I have had difficulty in trying to purchase the freehold in Custom House. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?
Where there is a absentee landlord or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to arrive at the amount due.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Custom House residence is 46 Credon Road in January 2014. On 11 September 2013 Deputy District Judge Price sitting at the Bow County Court made a vesting order that the freeholder surrender his lease and be granted a new lease of the Premises on such terms as may be determined by the First Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).The appropriate sum as concluded by the Tribunal was £7225 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 69.77 years.
I own a leasehold flat in Custom House. Conveyancing was completed in five years ago. I have been told that I mustn’t allow the the remaining lease term to get too short. What is the reasoning?
Custom House leasehold properties are for a set period - normally 99 years when they started. However a significant flats in Custom House were built or converted 25 or more years ago and so such leases now have under eighty years remaining. This may seem like plenty of time however Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage institutions generally require leases to have at least seventy five years unexpired to adequate security. Accordingly when you come to sell the property you will need a lease extension if you are approaching eighty years. To optimize the saleability of your property you should be considering whether or not to extend your lease well in advance of selling the property. You should note that there are strong financial reasons to taking action before the lease hits eighty years as when the lease falls below eighty years the premium you have to pay to extend starts to increase.