Lease extension

[LunaHeather]

Hi all
Wonder if you can advise

When you extend a lease with the Land Registry, would you expect to get a copy of the new lease from the Land Registry?

Background - my mum had to do a lease extension. Her solicitor is dreadful. The latest correspondence gave mum the impression that we are now waiting for the Land Registry to confirm in some way.

That was last year. The solicitor is now saying the Land Registry is very behind, but I am not sure if the solicitor is correct anyway?

At this rate the Land Registry are about six months late. The solicitor made so many mistakes I just thought I would check on here.

Thanks.

The lease on my flat was extended before we bought it, when we got all the paperwork from the sale a copy of the lease was there and it was an updated version showing the new extension to the lease

I’m not sure on the current Land Registry time scales but can you find the telephone number for the registry online and if you know the title number of the property, given them a call? There are several land registries so you have to call the correct one for the area the property is in?

Dog we have a copy of the new lease but the solicitor is telling mum we are waiting for the Land Registry to register it. That makes sense but the solicitor is so bad, I thought I better check.

Crazy the only number I can find is an 0300 number?

www.gov.uk/guidance/contact-hm-land-registry

It’s been a while since I did conveyancing - sorry! No harm in trying that number and seeing what they say!!

Dog I don't suppose you remember if your lease copy was issued by or stamped by the Land Registry? Thank you.

The title will be being updated at the Land Registry, they may well have a backlog. As long as you have a copy (ideally certified) of the signed and dated you don't need to worry too much. Once the title is updated your mum will get a copy. You can also download copies of title registers online for a small charge (less than £10)

@lionpaws

The title will be being updated at the Land Registry, they may well have a backlog. As long as you have a copy (ideally certified) of the signed and dated you don't need to worry too much. Once the title is updated your mum will get a copy. You can also download copies of title registers online for a small charge (less than £10)

Thank you lion

Do you mean certified by the Land Registry or the solicitor?

I am sorry for all the questions. This is how bad the solicitor is - she didn't start work for five months, kept using her secretary as a barrier to avoid returning calls or saying "negotiations have started" and then claimed that she couldn't start because we hadn't paid her. Turns out she "overlooked" the payment.

So I couldn't help wondering if she was talking shit this time.

Thanks everyone. I also wonder if the Land Registry have sent her something and she just hasn't opened it or actioned it etc.

@LunaHeather

Dog I don't suppose you remember if your lease copy was issued by or stamped by the Land Registry? Thank you.

@LunaHeather I'll dig the paperwork out and check

@LunaHeather our lease has this on the front and also had this letter with it

[quote DogsNosesAreCute]@LunaHeather our lease has this on the front and also had this letter with it[/quote]
This is great, thank you.

A copy certified by the solicitor would be good. Once the registration is complete you will be able to get a copy of the title, which will have the lease extension noted. You could also get a Land Reg Official copy of it after registration too. You really just need the title as confirmation the lease registration has been registered.

If there are any future dealings with the property, eg a remortgage or sale, the solicitor dealing with that will order fresh 'official copies' from the Land Registry anyway, as the official copies need to be recent so they can be sure everything is included.

Hope that make sense! :)

Thank you lion it does

Really appreciate all the help, thank you.

The Land Registry do have a massive backlog at the moment so it is likely that the solicitor is telling you the truth. Also, whilst there have obviously been some issues leasehold extensions can and do take a long time even without COVID thrown in the mix.

@redastherose

The Land Registry do have a massive backlog at the moment so it is likely that the solicitor is telling you the truth. Also, whilst there have obviously been some issues leasehold extensions can and do take a long time even without COVID thrown in the mix.

The extension is done in the sense that we have the new lease, as supplied by solicitor, no ground rent to pay now etc

I think it's just the title amendment that needs doing and it's about six months wait now.