Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in The Hale. Before I get started I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in The Hale - 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.

I wish to rent out my leasehold flat in The Hale. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in The Hale 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 see 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 62 years left on my lease in The Hale. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. For most situations a specialist would be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing The Hale.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in The Hale. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

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 ensure 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).

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in The Hale with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in The Hale can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
• Many freeholders or managing agents in The Hale charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in The Hale.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? The Hale leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord approving such alterations. Where you dont have the approvals to hand do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor first.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a new share certificate is often a lengthy process and frustrates many a The Hale home move. If a reissued share is required, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to double-check by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the remaining number of years is under 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

Following months of dialogue we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in The Hale. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

Most definitely. We are happy to put you in touch with a The Hale conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a The Hale flat is 20 Orchard Court Stonegrove in June 2009. The tribunal decided that a premium of £11,040 should be payable for the new lease This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 71.55 years.

The Hale Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

Its a good idea to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will either make your life much easier or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours whether they are happy with their management. Finally, be sure you understand the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money.