I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Snaresbrook. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Snaresbrook - 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.

There are only 62 years left on my lease in Snaresbrook. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent may be useful to carry out a search and prepare a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer both on proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Snaresbrook.

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

Due to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Snaresbrook. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Setting out your legal entitlements in relation to common areas in the building.E.G., does the lease include a right of way over an accessway or hallways?
• Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
• An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
• Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• 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
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Snaresbrook please ask your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Snaresbrook

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Snaresbrook. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

We expect to complete our sale of a £ 350000 apartment in Snaresbrook next week. The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Snaresbrook?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Snaresbrook conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Answering pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Snaresbrook
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Snaresbrook leasehold premises is £350. For Snaresbrook 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 required to provide the information.

I have had difficulty in trying to purchase the freehold in Snaresbrook. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Snaresbrook conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Snaresbrook premises is 36 New Wanstead in August 2010. The Tribunal arrived at a valuation of the premium for the freehold of £22,359. This case affected 2 flats. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 73.92 years.

I own a leasehold flat in Snaresbrook, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2003. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar flats in Snaresbrook with over 90 years remaining are worth £217,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2089

With 63 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £16,200 and £18,600 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 supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.