Frank (my husband) and I may need to rent out our Brent Park garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Brent Park conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Brent Park do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience dictates 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 have recently realised that I have Seventy years left on my flat in Brent Park. I now want to extend my lease 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 apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to locate the freeholder. In some cases a specialist may be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document which can be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Brent Park.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Brent Park both have about 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Brent Park conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Brent Park conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Brent Park conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• Can they put you in touch with client in Brent Park who can give a testimonial?
• What are the legal fees for lease extension work?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £ 375000 maisonette in Brent Park 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 the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Brent Park?

Brent Park conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes more often than not requires the purchaser’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to assist. They may charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Brent Park conveyancing firm to assist?

in cases where there is a absentee freeholder or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to assess the price payable.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Brent Park flat is 7 Craven Park in June 2009. The tribunal considered it unnecessary to value the garage as an independent investment or to value each flat separately, providing that the marriage value calculation uses only the participating flats. Accordingly, the price determined by the Tribunal was £41,140 This case related to 5 flats. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 73.14 years.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Brent Park, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Brent Park with over 90 years remaining are worth £213,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2098

You have 72 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.