Helen (my wife) and I may need to sub-let our Bonvilston ground floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Bonvilston conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your last Bonvilston conveyancing solicitor is no longer available you can check 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. There may be a precondition that you need to seek consent via your landlord or other appropriate person prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of first obtaining permission. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If the lease prohibits you from letting out the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Planning to exchange soon on a garden flat in Bonvilston. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder

I am looking at a two apartments in Bonvilston both have in the region of fifty years unexpired on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

A lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

I work for a reputable estate agent office in Bonvilston where we see a few flat sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Bonvilston conveyancing solicitors. Can you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible 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.

All being well we will complete our sale of a £300000 garden flat in Bonvilston in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £324 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Bonvilston?

Bonvilston conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally necessitates the buyer’s lawyer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries the majority will be content to assist. They are at liberty levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

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

What is the service charge and ground rent on the property? This information is important as a) areas can result in problems in the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will wish to know about it On the whole the outlay for major works are not incorporated into the maintenance charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Bonvilston require leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger repairs or maintenance.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Bonvilston