Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Greenford basement flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Greenford conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Your lease dictates relations between the landlord and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will say if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Greenford do not prevent subletting altogether – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the property. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Greenford. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Greenford should include some of the following:

• The physical extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but may include a loft or basement if applicable.
• Setting out your rights in respect of common areas in the block.For instance, does the lease contain a right of way over a path or hallways?
• Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
• The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Greenford conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Greenford conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Greenford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions has the firm completed in Greenford in the last year?

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Greenford with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Greenford can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ solicitors.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Greenford state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. If you dont have the consents to hand you should not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer first.
• A minority of Greenford leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
• If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Organising a re-issued share certificate is often a lengthy process and frustrates many a Greenford conveyancing deal. If a new share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check via your conveyancers. A purchaser's lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is below 75 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £ 300000 apartment in Greenford on Wednesday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Greenford?

Greenford conveyancing on leasehold flats normally necessitates the buyer’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be content to assist. They are entitled charge a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the charge is not strictly payable. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

After months of negotiations we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Greenford. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to decide the sum to be paid.

An example of a lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Greenford flat is 25 Beechwood Avenue in November 2012. the Tribunal accordingly determined that the premium for the lease extension should be £24,353. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 58.19 years.

I inherited a garden flat in Greenford, conveyancing was carried out 2002. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Greenford with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2099

With only 73 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.