I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Dursley. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Dursley - 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 am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Dursley. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
• You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
• What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Dursley. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Dursley ?

Most houses in Dursley are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Dursley so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Dursley conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority 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 will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I work for a long established estate agent office in Dursley where we have experienced a few leasehold sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Dursley conveyancing firms. Could you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Dursley conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Dursley conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Dursley 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 useful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Dursley in the last twenty four months?

I bought a studio flat in Dursley, conveyancing was carried out 4 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Dursley with an extended lease are worth £229,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2106

With only 80 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt 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 seeking the advice of a professional.