I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Hungerford. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Hungerford are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Hungerford so you should seriously consider looking for a Hungerford conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold flat in Hungerford. Conveyancing and Coventry Building Society mortgage are in place. 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 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in Hungerford who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Hungerford conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am a negotiator for a reputable estate agency in Hungerford where we see a few flat sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have received contradictory information from local Hungerford conveyancing firms. Could you clarify whether the vendor of a flat can start the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to 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 for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

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 purchaser.

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Hungerford conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Hungerford conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Hungerford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they conducted in Hungerford in the last year?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Hungerford who can give a testimonial?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £ 325000 flat in Hungerford in nine days. The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Hungerford?

Hungerford conveyancing on leasehold flats normally necessitates the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to such questions the majority will be willing to do so. They may invoice a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is above £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

I purchased a split level flat in Hungerford, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Hungerford with a long lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2085

You have 59 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £20,900 and £24,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.