Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in North Harrow. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in North Harrow - 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.

My partner and I may need to rent out our North Harrow 1st floor flat for a while due to a new job. We used a North Harrow conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in North Harrow 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 consent.

You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

Due to exchange soon on a leasehold property in North Harrow. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The total extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but may incorporate a roof space or basement if appropriate.
• Defining your rights in relation to the communal areas in the block.By way of example, does the lease provide for a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
• Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
• You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• 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 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.

For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in North Harrow please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in North Harrow

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in North Harrow. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in North Harrow ?

The majority of houses in North Harrow are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in North Harrow so you should seriously consider shopping around for a North Harrow 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 unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

We expect to complete the sale of our £ 325000 apartment in North Harrow next week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in North Harrow?

North Harrow conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally involves administration charges invoiced by managing agents :

• Answering pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in North Harrow
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for North Harrow leasehold premises is £350. For North Harrow conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply the information.

I have had difficulty in seeking a lease extension in North Harrow. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

Where there is a missing freeholder or where 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 LVT to make a decision on the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a North Harrow residence is flat 93b Welldon Crescent in May 2009. The Tribunals valuation for a 90-year lease extension of this fat was £13,171 This case related to 1 flat. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 75.25 years.

North Harrow Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

Is there a share of the freehold?