Avoiding £350 RMG Lease Pack on Exchange of Contracts

fcorry2008

After several months, I'm nearing exchange of contracts and hopefully moving shortly.

My buyers solicitors have requested that I provide a lease pack from RMG Group for the service charge on my current property, however my solicitor, who I must say has been particularly helpful, is trying to avoid me having to fork out the extortionate £352 fee for this document. From what I gather its just a bunch of over priced papers with some basic information or guidance to transfer the lease over to my buyers.

I have today provided my buyers solicitor with the below information:

• Draft Deed of Covenant - so they can put a new Deed together for my buyers to transfer the lease for the service charge.
• Statement of accounts - so they can see that I'm fully up to date with payments.
• Advised of my buyers solicitor there is an admin fee of £87.55+vat for processing the transfer of Deed of Covenant.
• Advised my buyers solicitor they need to request a certificate of compliance from RMG £66.95+vat. (required for land registry apparently)

I've got all this information for free from simply phoning RMG and I believe it covers everything they my buyers solicitor should need to do, to sort the transfer of the lease.

Does anyone who's in the trade, or who's well up on the process, know if I've missed anything or do you think I'm still going to have to fork out £352 for the shake of having this 'official' lease pack.

Thanks for your advice,

Fraser

fcorry2008

bumping for a response.

Milliemoodle_2

Have you tried asking RMG what is actually included in their lease pack? If you know exactly what is included then you can check whether you have sent everything to your buyers. If RMG are expecting you to fork out £352.00 for the pack, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask them to let you know exactly what documents you can expect for your money. If there's any documents that would be included that you don't have, maybe ask how much it would be just for a copy of those documents. Have you still got the leasehold information pack from when you bought the property?

I do think leasehold information packs are a massive rip-off, often they only contain a few sheets of paper. However, if I was a buyer I would want to see it I'm afraid.

Milliemoodle_2

Just thought of a couple of documents the buyer's solicitors may want or which may be included in the leasehold pack - buildings insurance policy and schedule for the block (assuming you live in a flat), if the landlord/management company deal with that. Also the Fire Risk Assessment for the common parts if there is one (there should be but quite often, there isn't!).

fcorry2008

Spoken to the solicitor today. I think we might be all good and she's telling me not to waste my money, she thinks we have provided enough now.

Its not actually a flat, its actually a freehold 3 bed semi that I'm selling, but their is a lease on the estate and a service charge for the mowing of the lawn, including the up keep of the communal garden. I'm told this is very common.

BeccaB

Hi

Just wondering how you got on and if the buyers solicitor has accepted all that you provided in terms of paperwork?

We are in the process of selling a flat which is managed by RMG and were aware of the fee (as a neighbour is also moving) and are utterly disgusted by the cost for what is probably a few sheets of paper.

They get enough money out of us for little or no return as it is!

We also feel that the buyer should be paying this fee not the seller but alas we are doing a part-ex and it's one of the conditions of the agreement.

Thanks

propertyman

BeccaB wrote: »

Hi

Just wondering how you got on and if the buyers solicitor has accepted all that you provided in terms of paperwork?

We are in the process of selling a flat which is managed by RMG and were aware of the fee (as a neighbour is also moving) and are utterly disgusted by the cost for what is probably a few sheets of paper.

They get enough money out of us for little or no return as it is!

We also feel that the buyer should be paying this fee not the seller but alas we are doing a part-ex and it's one of the conditions of the agreement.

Thanks

Sadly the perception is that it is only a few bits of paper is wrong. In most cases its electronic these days ( ) but if you see the list of questions that the solicitors ask, and that the managing agent is legally liable for these, there is quite a lot of work involved.

"are there any breaches or disputes with neighbours" is typical which involves reading back through files and notes to see if they have been approached or a complaint made in recent times, even if the answer is no.

RMG having charged £350 for the house pack is unreasonable, an perhaps £150 or so might be appropriate.