Helen (my wife) and I may need to rent out our Alsager 1st floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Alsager conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Alsager conveyancing solicitor is not around you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you need to seek consent from your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without prior consent. The consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord for their consent.

You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

Planning to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Alsager. Conveyancing solicitors have said 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 Alsager should include some of the following:

• Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
• Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or having a home office for business
• You need to be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
• 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?
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice?

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Alsager please ask your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Alsager

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Alsager. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Alsager are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Alsager in which case you should be shopping around for a Alsager conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Alsager which have in the region of forty five years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Alsager. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £ 225000 garden flat in Alsager next Friday . The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Alsager?

Alsager conveyancing on leasehold flats ordinarily necessitates administration charges raised by management companies :

• Answering conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Alsager
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Alsager leasehold property is £350. For Alsager conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide the information.

Alsager Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

Are there any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the service fees?