I would like to sublet my leasehold flat in Earlsfield. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

Some leases for properties in Earlsfield do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review 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 permission.

Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold house in Earlsfield. Conveyancing and HSBC Bank mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Earlsfield who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Earlsfield 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 landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Earlsfield both have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Earlsfield. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

Completion in due on the sale of our £ 150000 maisonette in Earlsfield next Friday . The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Earlsfield?

Earlsfield conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to assist. They are at liberty charge a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries 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 above £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

Following months of dialogue we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Earlsfield. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

Where there is a absentee freeholder or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to determine the premium.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Earlsfield property is 35 Trewint Street in February 2012. The Tribunal arrived at a premium of £32 425 for the freehold reversion. The matter was transferred back to the court for further consideration which required the applicants pay the premium (less any assessed costs) into court after which the court would execute a transfer of the freehold. This case was in relation to 2 flats. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 70.57 years.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Earlsfield what are the most common lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Earlsfield. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the building
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You could have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Lloyds TSB Bank, Coventry Building Society, and Platform Home Loans Ltd 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 grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

I own a split level flat in Earlsfield, conveyancing having been completed 2008. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Earlsfield with a long lease are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2079

With just 53 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.