Leaseholder Transfer Administrator in Winchester

E&J Estates is a privately owned, profitable and well capitalised business, established in Winchester for 25 years. The company is part of the wider E&J Group, which is freeholder of approximately 1100 buildings in the UK, principally blocks of flats. E&J Estates acts as agent to the group’s freeholder companies. It carries out the following core activities on their behalf:

• Invoicing and collection of ground rents and insurance premiums payable by leaseholders.
• Appointment and performance oversight of the network of managing agents that manage each individual property.
• Provision of legal services to leaseholders wishing to extend the term of their lease, obtain permissions and consents for changes to the building, achieve lease variations, and consent to sub-let their properties.
• Liaising between leaseholders and solicitors when a leaseholder wishes to sell a property, ensuring that the required documentation is fulfilled accurately according to the terms of the lease.

This activity is carried out by the Leasehold Transfer team, within which this vacancy has arisen. E&J Estates works in a busy and fast changing leasehold market sector. The assistance we bring to leaseholders and to building Resident Management Companies is widespread, and often beyond the capability of individual leaseholders to undertake without specialist support. The company is managing a long term programme to rectify buildings where flammable cladding and other fire safety defects have been identified. This includes applying for government financial support from the Building Safety Fund, and recovering costs from the original developers, to protect leaseholders as far as possible from personal costs. Our team of approximately 25 people has many longstanding team members, who have stayed with the company because we have always sought to value people and provide a supportive environment. We operate a regular programme of team social events.

Role Summary

We are seeking an additional administrator to assist with all the activity undertaken by the Leasehold Transfer team when leaseholders sell or re-mortgage their properties. Relevant experience might include some past property or paralegal experience, including residential property management, residential conveyancing or similar. A high level of accuracy is required in this environment, and the ability to communicate clearly and with empathy to solicitors and leaseholders.

Core Duties and Responsibilities

• Deal with all enquiries (generally from solicitors) in relation to the sale of a property whether by email, post or telephone.
• Ensure compliance with all lease requirements upon the sale of a property.
• Update the property details upon a sale on our database.
• Provide Management Packs and responses to Leasehold Property Enquiry forms when a property is sold.
• Prepare legal documentation required under the lease in relation to a sale i.e. Deeds of Covenant, Licences to Assign and Compliance Certificates.
• Action Notices of Transfer and/or Mortgage served, ensuring the Lease terms have been met and provide a receipted Notice to the Solicitors.
• Raise the relevant Fees, for work actioned, onto our Database.
• Sending out relevant welcome letters and information to new leaseholders.

Skills Needed

• A high level of accuracy in producing documentation.
• The ability to communicate clearly and confidently with solicitors, leaseholders and other team members, develop process and organisational skills, ability to hit deadlines and multi-task.
• The ability to work as a team or individually to achieve set deadlines.
• Professional telephone manner.

Working Hours

9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Thursday, with one hour lunch break and 9.00am to 4.00pm Friday, with 30 minutes lunch break. 26 days annual holiday.