My wife and I may need to rent out our Kidwelly 1st floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Kidwelly conveyancing practice in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A lease governs relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Kidwelly do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the flat. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

I only have 68 years remaining on my flat in Kidwelly. I now want to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Kidwelly.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, 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 particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Kidwelly. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Kidwelly are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Kidwelly in which case you should be looking for a Kidwelly conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Kidwelly. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Kidwelly who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

First make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Kidwelly conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Kidwelly what are the most frequent lease problems?

Leasehold conveyancing in Kidwelly is not unique. All leases is drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

You will have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Virgin Money, and Clydesdale all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

I bought a 1st floor flat in Kidwelly, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Kidwelly with an extended lease are worth £192,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2092

With only 71 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information 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. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in Kidwelly