I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Uxbridge. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Uxbridge - 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 am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Uxbridge. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
• You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• 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 you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Uxbridge. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Uxbridge ?

Most houses in Uxbridge are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Uxbridge so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Uxbridge conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I work for a long established estate agent office in Uxbridge where we have experienced a few leasehold sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Uxbridge conveyancing firms. Could you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Uxbridge conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Uxbridge conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Uxbridge conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Uxbridge in the last twenty four months?

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can one apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Uxbridge conveyancing firm to assist?

Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Uxbridge conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Uxbridge property is 164 Nestles Avenue in October 2013. The tribunal agreed with the proposed price of £20,158 for the freehold and determined that that sum is the amount to be paid into court This case affected 2 flats. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 69 years.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Uxbridge, conveyancing was carried out in 2005. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Uxbridge with an extended lease are worth £229,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2106

With just 80 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.