I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Chalfont St Giles. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Chalfont St Giles - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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 own a leasehold house in Chalfont St Giles. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Chalfont St Giles who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Chalfont St Giles conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Chalfont St Giles which have about forty five years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Chalfont St Giles. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Chalfont St Giles conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Chalfont St Giles conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Chalfont St Giles conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they conducted in Chalfont St Giles in the last year?

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Chalfont St Giles what are the most common lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Chalfont St Giles. All leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the property
• A duty to insure the building
• 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 problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Lloyds TSB Bank, Bank of Scotland, and Barclays Direct all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Chalfont St Giles, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Chalfont St Giles with an extended lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2092

You have 66 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in Chalfont St Giles