I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Booker. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Booker - 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 have recently realised that I have 72 years remaining on my flat in Booker. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the freeholder. On the whole a specialist should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report which can be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Booker.

Expecting to exchange soon on a basement flat in Booker. Conveyancing lawyers have said 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 Booker should include some of the following:

• How long the lease is You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• Defining your legal entitlements in respect of the communal areas in the building.For example, does the lease permit a right of way over a path or hallways?
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• Does the lease prevent you from renting out the flat, or having a home office for business
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• 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.

Back In 2003, I bought a leasehold house in Booker. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Booker who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Booker conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured 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.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Booker with the aim of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Booker can be reduced if you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers lawyers.
• Many landlords or managing agents in Booker levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Booker.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Booker leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Should you dont have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer before hand.
• If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic rather than ongoing.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate can be a time consuming process and delays many a Booker home move. Where a duplicate share certificate is required, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible.

I inherited a ground floor flat in Booker, conveyancing having been completed 2010. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Booker with an extended lease are worth £225,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2087

With just 61 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £20,000 and £23,000 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 in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.