There are only Fifty years remaining on my flat in Littleport. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What are my options?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application 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 made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. In some cases an enquiry agent would be useful to try and locate and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Littleport.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Littleport. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Littleport ?

Most houses in Littleport 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 clear that you are buying in Littleport in which case you should be looking for a Littleport conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Littleport both have about fifty years unexpired on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Littleport. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Littleport conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Littleport conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Littleport conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• How many lease extensions has the firm conducted in Littleport in the last year?

Completion in due on our sale of a £ 125000 garden flat in Littleport in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Littleport?

Littleport conveyancing on leasehold apartments ordinarily involves fees being levied by managing agents :

• Completing pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Littleport
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Littleport leasehold premises is £350. For Littleport conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

Littleport Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

The answer will be important as a) areas may result in problems for the block as the common areas may start to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details