I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Aberporth. Before I get started I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Aberporth - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Sixty One years left on my flat in Aberporth. I need to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. On the whole a specialist would be helpful to carry out a search and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Aberporth.

Planning to exchange soon on a basement flat in Aberporth. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

• How long the lease is You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark
• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
• The physical extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but might include a loft or basement if appropriate.
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the property, or working from home
• What you can do if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease?

I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in Aberporth.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear the service charge 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.

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Aberporth conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Aberporth conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Aberporth conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Aberporth who can give a testimonial?

I inherited a ground floor flat in Aberporth, conveyancing formalities finalised 2006. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Aberporth with a long lease are worth £194,000. The ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease finishes on 21st October 2100

With only 74 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.