Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Crewe. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Crewe - 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.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Crewe ground floor flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Crewe conveyancing practice in 2003 but they have closed and we did not think at the time seek any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

The lease governs relations between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Crewe do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the sublease.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Crewe. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Crewe ?

The majority of houses in Crewe are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Crewe so you should seriously consider looking for a Crewe conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Crewe. Conveyancing and Nottingham Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Crewe who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Crewe conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am looking at a two flats in Crewe which have about fifty years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Crewe, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar flats in Crewe with over 90 years remaining are worth £230,000. The ground rent is £60 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2078

With only 53 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £30,400 and £35,200 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Crewe