My fiance and I may need to let out our Cambourne garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Cambourne conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Cambourne do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

Expecting to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Cambourne. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The physical extent of the property. This will be the property itself but may incorporate a roof space or basement if applicable.

Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?

Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?

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.

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Cambourne please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Cambourne

Back In 2000, I bought a leasehold flat in Cambourne. Conveyancing and Santander mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Cambourne who previously acted has long since retired.Do I pay?

First contact HMLR to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Cambourne conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £150000 flat in Cambourne on Thursday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £300 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Cambourne?

Cambourne conveyancing on leasehold flats normally results in administration charges levied by management companies :

• Completing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Cambourne
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Cambourne leasehold property is £350. For Cambourne conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide the information.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Cambourne what are the most frequent lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Cambourne. All leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Platform Home Loans Ltd all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.

Cambourne Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

Its a good idea to discover as much as possible about the company managing the block as they will either make your living at the property much easier or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Enquire of other people if they are happy with them. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the appropriate party and precisely what it includes. Where a Cambourne lease has less than eighty years it will impact the marketability of the property. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. A short lease means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be required to have been the owner of the residence for two years before you are entitled to extend the lease. Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Cambourne