I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Blackwood. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Blackwood - 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.

Helen (my wife) and I may need to rent out our Blackwood garden flat temporarily due to a new job. We instructed a Blackwood conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have closed and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your last Blackwood conveyancing lawyer is not available you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you need to seek permission via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without first obtaining consent. The consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my ground floor apartment in Blackwood.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you clear 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Blackwood. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Blackwood are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Blackwood in which case you should be looking for a Blackwood conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Blackwood conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

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

• If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?

Blackwood Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

Be sure to investigate if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. For instance it is fairly common in Blackwood leases that pets are not permitted in in a block in Blackwood. If you love the apartmentin Blackwood yet your dog is not allowed to live with you then you will be presented with a difficult compromise. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? This question is useful as a) areas can cause problems for the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to know about it

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Lease Extensions in Blackwood