I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in West Kensington. Before I get started I require certainty as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in West Kensington - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 72 years left on my flat in West Kensington. I am keen 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 an order 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 track down the lessor. In some cases an enquiry agent may be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing West Kensington.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in West Kensington. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in West Kensington 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 buying in West Kensington so you should seriously consider shopping around for a West Kensington conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in West Kensington which have approximately fifty years left on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in West Kensington. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a West Kensington conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a West Kensington conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non West Kensington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
• What volume of lease extensions have they carried out in West Kensington in the last year?

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in West Kensington. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?

You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a West Kensington conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a West Kensington residence is 93 Oakwood Court in June 2010. the LVT determined that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £492,083, This case affected 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 37.79 years.

I purchased a 2 bed flat in West Kensington, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1997. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in West Kensington with an extended lease are worth £249,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2087

You have 61 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £24,700 and £28,600 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other 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 based on this information before getting professional advice.