I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Dockland Settlement. Before diving in I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Dockland Settlement - 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 72 years remaining on my lease in Dockland Settlement. I now wish to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Dockland Settlement.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Dockland Settlement both have approximately 50 years left on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Dockland Settlement conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Dockland Settlement conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Dockland Settlement conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• What volume of lease extensions have they completed in Dockland Settlement in the last year?
• What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing?

I have given up seeking a lease extension in Dockland Settlement. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Dockland Settlement conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Dockland Settlement residence is 73 Walerand Road in August 2012. the result of the findings of the Tribunal led to a premium to be paid for the extended lease in respect of Flat 73 in the sum of £10,040. The premium applicable in respect of Flat 85 was £5,710. This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term was 72 years.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Dockland Settlement what are the most frequent lease defects?

Leasehold conveyancing in Dockland Settlement is not unique. All leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the building
• 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

You will encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, Bank of Scotland, and Bank of Ireland all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to pull out.

I am the registered owner of a 1 bedroom flat in Dockland Settlement, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Dockland Settlement with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2105

You have 79 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.