Me and my partner are soon to complete on the purchase of a property in Harlesden but as a consequence of wreckage from the recent storms I have was able negotiate recompense from the vendor in the sum of £2k in the form of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process however Lloyds will not agree to this. Why were they approached?

Your lawyer being on a Lloyds conveyancing panel is duty bound to disclose to Lloyds of any amendments to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your solicitor to report the reduction to Lloyds then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Lloyds and you would have to appoint a new solicitor for your conveyancing in Harlesden.

Why do I have to pay up front when it comes to conveyancing in Harlesden?

If you are buying a property in Harlesden your solicitor will request that you put them with funds to cover the search fees. Normally this is asked for to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the down payment is payable against the total price then this should be required immediately in advance of contracts are exchanged. The closing balance that is due should be transferred shortly before completion.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Edwardian property in Harlesden. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Coventry Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Harlesden and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Harlesden. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to to contribute towards maintenance costs - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a tenant enjoys Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the (you), head lessor, freeholder Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of the communal areas in the building.For example, does the lease permit a right of way over a path or staircase? Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? if lease has a provision for a sinking fund for major repairs?

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

Most definitely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Harlesden conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Harlesden premises is First Floor Flat 2B Fortune Gate Road in May 2013. the tribunal decided that the price payable for the lease extension was £9,331, together with £900 in respect of outstanding ground rent. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 74.31 years.

There are a number of properties in Harlesden on unadopted lanes. We are purchasing such a property. What are the pros and cons of purchasing a property on a privately owned road?

Harlesden conveyancing solicitors are well versed in conveyancing propertieson unadopted roads. The conveyancer should review the Land Registry data to find any rights or responsibilities. In many cases there is a management company (wholly owned by residents) that owners pay into to maintain the road. If there is one, the road should be maintained and appear nicer than publicly maintained.