Helen (my wife) and I may need to rent out our Corbridge garden flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Corbridge conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A lease governs the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; in particular, it will indicate if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Corbridge do not prevent subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Corbridge. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Corbridge are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Corbridge so you should seriously consider looking for a Corbridge conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Corbridge both have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan 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 field

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Corbridge. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Corbridge with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Corbridge can be reduced where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers conveyancers.
• The majority freeholders or managing agents in Corbridge levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Corbridge.

I invested in buying a 2 bed flat in Corbridge, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Corbridge with a long lease are worth £220,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2084

You have 58 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £26,600 and £30,800 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Corbridge