Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Fenny Stratford. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Fenny Stratford - 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 sub-let our Fenny Stratford 1st floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Fenny Stratford conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Fenny Stratford do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

Expecting to complete next month on a studio apartment in Fenny Stratford. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Fenny Stratford should include some of the following:

• Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?

Are pets allowed in the flat?

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

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building

What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Fenny Stratford please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Fenny Stratford

I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Fenny Stratford.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

All being well we will complete the sale of our £300000 apartment in Fenny Stratford in 10 days. The management company has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Fenny Stratford?

Fenny Stratford conveyancing on leasehold flats normally involves fees being levied by management companies :

• Completing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Fenny Stratford
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Fenny Stratford leasehold property is £350. For Fenny Stratford conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Fenny Stratford - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments? The majority of Fenny Stratford leasehold flats will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the block set on behalf of the freeholder. If you acquire the property you will have to pay this charge, normally periodically throughout the year. This could be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built blocks. There will also be a ground rent to be met annual, this is usually not a large sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. It would be prudent to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters like the cleanliness of the communal areas. You should not be shy to ask prospective neighbours whether they are happy with their service. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and precisely what it includes.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Fenny Stratford