I am intending to let out my leasehold flat in Buckden. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Even though your last Buckden conveyancing lawyer is no longer available you can review your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you are obliged to obtain consent via your landlord or other appropriate person prior to subletting. This means that you cannot sublet without first obtaining consent. The consent must not not be unreasonably turned down. If your lease prohibits you from subletting the property you should ask your landlord for their consent.

Looking forward to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Buckden. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Buckden should include some of the following:

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
• Setting out your rights in relation to common areas in the building.E.G., does the lease grant a right of way over a path or hallways?
• Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Buckden.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is pay 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 unless 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 today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Buckden. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Buckden ?

Most houses in Buckden are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Buckden so you should seriously consider looking for a Buckden conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Buckden from the perspective of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Buckden can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers representatives.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Buckden leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. Where you fail to have the consents in place do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer before hand.
• Some Buckden leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
• If there is a history of any disputes 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 a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to 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 clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to unresolved.
• You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

I purchased a split level flat in Buckden, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar flats in Buckden with an extended lease are worth £215,000. The ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 2087

With only 61 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £18,100 and £20,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range 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 due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.