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

I am hoping to exchange soon on a garden flat in Turnpike Lane. Conveyancing solicitors have said 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 Turnpike Lane should include some of the following:

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of common areas in the block.E.G., does the lease grant a right of way over an accessway or hallways?
• You should be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• 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
• 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
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Turnpike Lane please enquire of your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Turnpike Lane

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Turnpike Lane. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Turnpike Lane ?

The majority of houses in Turnpike Lane are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Turnpike Lane in which case you should be shopping around for a Turnpike Lane conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Turnpike Lane both have about fifty years remaining on the leases. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Turnpike Lane. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Turnpike Lane conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Turnpike Lane conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Turnpike Lane conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Turnpike Lane who can give a testimonial?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £ 475000 garden flat in Turnpike Lane next Monday . The managing agents 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 an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Turnpike Lane?

For most leasehold sales in Turnpike Lane conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Addressing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Turnpike Lane
• Supplying insurance information
• 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 Turnpike Lane leasehold property is £350. For Turnpike Lane 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 supply the information.

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

Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Turnpike Lane conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Turnpike Lane residence is First Floor Flat 109 Lyndhurst Road in May 2010. Following a vesting order by Edmonton County Court on 29th October 2009 the Tribunal decided on a figure of £5,012 for a lease extension. This case affected 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 81.79 years.

I bought a studio flat in Turnpike Lane, conveyancing was carried out 1995. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Turnpike Lane with an extended lease are worth £168,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2080

You have 54 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.