Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Forest of Dean. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Forest of Dean - 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 want to let out my leasehold flat in Forest of Dean. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

Notwithstanding that your last Forest of Dean conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can review your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the property. The rule is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you are obliged to obtain permission from your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. This means that you cannot sublet without first obtaining permission. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Forest of Dean. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Forest of Dean ?

Most houses in Forest of Dean 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. it is apparent that you are buying in Forest of Dean in which case you should be shopping around for a Forest of Dean conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Forest of Dean. Conveyancing and Leeds Building Society mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Forest of Dean who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Forest of Dean conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Forest of Dean conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Forest of Dean conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Forest of Dean conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Forest of Dean who can give a testimonial?

Forest of Dean Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

This information is useful as a) areas may cause problems in the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details Does the lease contain onerous restrictions? Please note that where the lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the salability of the apartment. Check with your bank that they are happy with the length of the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease at some point and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Forest of Deanlease extensions you would need to own the premises for a couple of years before you are entitled to carry out a lease extension.