inherited leashold flat, title transfer

pchelpman

Hi all

Mum died in January. I am the sole beneficiary. Mum didn't have a will but I have now obtained Probate.

Mum bought a 125 year lease on her council flat some years ago under "right to buy". There are 97 years left.

I need the title to the property transferred to my name.

I hear that all I have to do is send Probate to the Land Registry in Telford (that office deals with land in my area of the UK), give them the title number of the deed and they will transfer it into my name without any fee.

Is it really as simple as that?

Anyone else here have similar experiences and/or legal knowledge of how I get the flat into my name without paying a solicitor or land conveyancer to do it for me?

Thank you for any tips and advice.

G_M

Are you planning to move in and live there? Or let it out? If so, you can transfer the Title to your name without a solicitor quite easily.

See:

How do I register the people who have inherited...

and

what to do when a property owner dies

If you are planning to sell, don't bother to transfer. You can sell it whilst still registered in yourmum's name.

pchelpman

Excellent. Thank you, G_M.

Will look at those links.

Not sure what's going to happen with the flat. Possibly sell or, more likely, let out.

G_M

pchelpman wrote: »

Excellent. Thank you, G_M.

Will look at those links.

Not sure what's going to happen with the flat. Possibly sell or, more likely, let out.

Well you need to decide that before you rush out and spend time and money putting the property into your name.

For some info on letting it out, read:

New Landlords (general information for new or prospective landlords)

pchelpman

Thanks but I'm not sure I follow.

Why would the decision to sell or let out affect the transfer of the property into my name?

Surely the first move is to get the property properly registered in my name then I can choose which I want to do.

Or have I missed something?

mjdh1957

If you want to sell, there's no need to transfer it into your name at all.

pchelpman

True, I suppose, but G_M said that I "...need" to decide that first.

Given that I'm unsure and, anyway, the likelihood is I will let it out, I think transfer into my name should be the first step.

Probably.

Unless you believe otherwise....

G_M

pchelpman wrote: »

Thanks but I'm not sure I follow.

Why would the decision to sell or let out affect the transfer of the property into my name?

Surely the first move is to get the property properly registered in my name then I can choose which I want to do.

Or have I missed something?

Sorry. Wording:

Well you would be sensible to decide that before you rush out and spend time and money putting the property into your name.

As per post 2 above. If selling, no need to pay to transfer to your name, and then to new owners name.

pchelpman

Thanks for the clarification.

Glad to know I'm mot misunderstanding anything.

On thinking about it I'm 99% sure it will be let out.

I'll probably extend the lease, too, whilst it's cost effective to do so, before the current lease gets to under 80 years and those extra "marriage" fees kick in.

blckbrd

Not sure if you know already but once the property has been transferred, you need to serve notice on the Council. There'll be a fee of course.

pchelpman

There will probably be plenty of fees charged by every official department involved. There usually is.

Fingers in pies........they all want a cut!