Jane (my partner) and I may need to sub-let our Beckermet garden flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We used a Beckermet conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

A lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Beckermet do not prevent subletting altogether – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the sublease.

Due to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Beckermet. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they report fully next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Beckermet 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 cellar if applicable.

Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?

Whether the lease restricts you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business

You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease

I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required

The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.

What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Beckermet please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Beckermet

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agent office in Beckermet where we see a number of flat sales jeopardised as a result of short leases. I have received conflicting advice from local Beckermet conveyancing firms. Could you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

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

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Beckermet conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Beckermet conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Can they put you in touch with client in Beckermet who can give a testimonial?

All being well we will complete the sale of our £250000 apartment in Beckermet next Thursday . The managing agents has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Beckermet?

Beckermet conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally results in administration charges invoiced by management companies :

• Addressing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Beckermet
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Beckermet leasehold property is £350. For Beckermet 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 answers.

I own a 1st floor flat in Beckermet, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Beckermet with a long lease are worth £229,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2084

With 59 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Beckermet