I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Bournemouth. Before diving in I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Bournemouth - 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.

My partner and I may need to rent out our Bournemouth garden flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Bournemouth conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your previous Bournemouth conveyancing solicitor is no longer around you can check your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the property. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you must obtain permission via your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without prior consent. The consent must not not be unreasonably turned down. If your lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Bournemouth. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Bournemouth ?

Most houses in Bournemouth are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Bournemouth in which case you should be looking for a Bournemouth conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Bournemouth which have about 50 years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Bournemouth conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Bournemouth conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Bournemouth conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Bournemouth who can give a testimonial?

I own a leasehold flat in Bournemouth, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Bournemouth with an extended lease are worth £249,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 per annum. The lease finishes on 21st October 2089

With 63 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £21,900 and £25,200 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.