Harry (my fiance) and I may need to sub-let our Grangetown basement flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Grangetown conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your last Grangetown conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can check your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the apartment. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to obtain permission from your landlord or some other party prior to 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.

Planning to exchange soon on a garden flat in Grangetown. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
• Setting out your legal entitlements in relation to the communal areas in the block.By way of example, does the lease permit a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
• Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
• Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I own a leasehold house in Grangetown. Conveyancing and Leeds Building Society mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing practitioner in Grangetown who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Grangetown conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £ 200000 apartment in Grangetown next Wednesday . The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Grangetown?

Grangetown conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality you have no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

Are there common deficiencies that you see in leases for Grangetown properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Grangetown. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain clauses are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises
• A duty to insure the building
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Lloyds TSB Bank, Bank of Scotland, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd 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 grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

Grangetown Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

This question is important as a) areas could cause problems in the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the running of the building you will need to have complete disclosure Its a good idea to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day issues such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours if they are happy with their service. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments?