I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Abergele. Before diving in I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Abergele - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

My fiance and I may need to rent out our Abergele 1st floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Abergele conveyancing practice in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Abergele do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting consent.

Expecting to exchange soon on a garden flat in Abergele. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The physical extent of the premises. This will be the property itself but may incorporate a roof space or basement if appropriate.
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the property, or having a home office for business
• Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
• Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I have just started marketing my 2 bed flat in Abergele.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the invoice as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

All being well we will complete the sale of our £ 175000 garden flat in Abergele in nine days. The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Abergele?

Abergele conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often involves the purchaser’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable administration fee for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the charge is technically not due. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I acquired a basement flat in Abergele, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Abergele with a long lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2077

With 51 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £30,400 and £35,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.