Frank (my husband) and I may need to rent out our Hither Green basement flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Hither Green conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your last Hither Green conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is silent, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek consent from your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. This means you not allowed to sublet in the absence of first obtaining permission. The consent should not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Hither Green. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• You should be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice?
• 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 the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Hither Green which have in the region of fifty years unexpired on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is generally wise to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Hither Green conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Hither Green conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non Hither Green conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?
• What volume of lease extensions have they carried out in Hither Green in the last year?

We expect to complete the sale of our £ 275000 apartment in Hither Green next week. The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Hither Green?

Hither Green conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually involves the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions the majority will be willing to assist. They may levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

My wife and I have hit a brick wall in trying to reach an agreement for a lease extension in Hither Green. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

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

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Hither Green residence is 18 Handen Road in April 2013. On 26 October 2012 District Judge Zimmels sitting at the Lambeth County Court made a Vesting Order that the Applicants be granted the right to acquire the freehold upon such terms and at such price determined by the LVT. The Tribunal arrived a figure of £39,535 as a valuation for the enfranchisement. This case was in relation to 3 flats. The unexpired lease term was 69.05 years.

Hither Green Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before buying

Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? The answer will be useful as a) areas could result in problems for the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to know about it Does the lease contain onerous restrictions?