Jane (my partner) and I may need to rent out our Ingleby Barwick garden flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Ingleby Barwick conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your last Ingleby Barwick conveyancing solicitor is no longer around you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the lease is silent, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you need to obtain consent from your landlord or other appropriate person prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior permission. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If the 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 figure which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Ingleby Barwick. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Ingleby Barwick are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Ingleby Barwick in which case you should be looking for a Ingleby Barwick conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority 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 comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Ingleby Barwick both have approximately forty five years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Ingleby Barwick is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the salability of the property. For most buyers and lenders, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Ingleby Barwick conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I work for a reputable estate agent office in Ingleby Barwick where we see a number of flat sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local Ingleby Barwick conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

Provided that the seller has been the owner 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. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible 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 advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Ingleby Barwick conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ingleby Barwick conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Ingleby Barwick conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Ingleby Barwick Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

You will want to find out as much as possible about the company managing the block as they can either make your living at the property much easier or uncomfortable. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask prospective neighbours what they think of their management. In conclusion, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the relevant party and precisely what you get for your money. Be sure to find out if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. By way of example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Ingleby Barwick. If you like the flatin Ingleby Barwick however your cat is not allowed to make the move with you then you will be presented with a hard compromise. Can you inform me if there are any major works on the horizon that could add a premium to the service charges?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Ingleby Barwick