Frank (my husband) and I may need to sub-let our Haslington garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Haslington conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Haslington do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see 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 consent.

I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Haslington. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Haslington ?

The majority of houses in Haslington are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Haslington in which case you should be shopping around for a Haslington conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Haslington both have about forty five years unexpired on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Haslington. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Haslington conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Haslington conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Haslington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. 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 Haslington who can give a testimonial?

What makes a Haslington lease problematic?

Leasehold conveyancing in Haslington is not unique. All leases is drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections 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
• Insurance obligations
• 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

A defective lease will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Santander, Bank of Scotland, and Britannia all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Haslington, conveyancing formalities finalised 2004. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Haslington with over 90 years remaining are worth £266,000. The ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2106

With just 80 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.