I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Allenton. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Allenton - 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.

I wish to rent out my leasehold apartment in Allenton. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Even though your previous Allenton conveyancing lawyer is not available you can review your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek permission from your landlord or some other party before subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet in the absence of prior permission. The consent should not be unreasonably withheld. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord for their consent.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Allenton. Conveyancing and Alliance & Leicester mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Allenton who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Allenton conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Allenton which have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Allenton is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the marketability of the property. The majority of purchasers and lenders, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Allenton conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Allenton conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Allenton conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with two or three firms including non Allenton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Allenton Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

This question is useful as a) areas may result in problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will need to know about it Many Allenton leasehold flats will incur a service bill for the upkeep of the block invoiced by the landlord. Where you purchase the property you will have to meet this charge, normally periodically throughout the year. This can vary from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built blocks. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a significant amount, say about £25-£75 but you should to enquire as sometimes it can be surprisingly expensive. What is the yearly maintenance fee and ground rent?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Allenton