My partner and I may need to sub-let our Cambourne 1st floor flat for a while due to a new job. We used a Cambourne conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Cambourne conveyancing solicitor is no longer available you can check your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the property. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek permission from your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. This means that you cannot sublet in the absence of first obtaining permission. The consent should not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Cambourne. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they report fully on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in Cambourne.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

It best that you clear 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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until 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 am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Cambourne both have in the region of fifty years left on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Cambourne conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Cambourne conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Cambourne conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?

Cambourne Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before buying

Who is in charge of the building? Be sure to investigate if the the lease includes any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Cambourne. If you like the apartmentin Cambourne however your dog can’t make the move with you then you will be presented with a hard determination. The answer will be useful as a) areas could cause problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the managing agents you will need to have full disclosure

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Cambourne