I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Cudham. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Cudham - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Expecting to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Cudham. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Cudham should include some of the following:

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark
• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
• Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or working from home
• Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
• I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
• The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
• What options are open to you if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?

I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed apartment in Cudham.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

It best that you pay the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Cudham. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Cudham are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Cudham so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Cudham conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

I am attracted to a couple of flats in Cudham which have in the region of fifty years unexpired on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Cudham. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is generally wise to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

I am the registered owner of a first flat in Cudham. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the sum due for a lease extension?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Cudham conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Cudham residence is 1 Southlands Court Southlands Road in September 2013. The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal determined that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 was £30,541 This case affected 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 50.57 years.

Cudham Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

It would be a good idea to discover if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. By way of example it is reasonably common in Cudham leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Cudham. If you love the propertyin Cudham however your dog is not allowed to live with you then you will be presented with a difficult choice. It would be sensible to discover as much as you can about the company managing the block as they will either make your living at the property much easier or a lot more difficult. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters like the upkeep of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes.