Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Whetstone. Before I get started I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Whetstone - 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.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to sub-let our Whetstone 1st floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Whetstone conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Whetstone conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can check your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you need to seek consent via your landlord or some other party before subletting. This means you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior permission. The consent must not not be unreasonably withheld. If your lease prohibits you from letting out the property you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Whetstone. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Whetstone 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 the 80 year mark

Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder

Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of common areas in the block.E.G., does the lease permit a right of way over a path or staircase?

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

You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions

The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide. For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Whetstone please enquire of your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Whetstone

All being well we will complete the sale of our £125000 flat in Whetstone in 10 days. The freeholder has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Whetstone?

Whetstone conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually necessitates fees being levied by managing agents :

• Addressing conveyancing due diligence enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Whetstone
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• 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 Whetstone leasehold premises is £350. For Whetstone 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 obliged to provide answers.

I have given up seeking a lease extension in Whetstone. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

Where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the LVT to arrive at the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Whetstone flat is Flat 2 2 Netherfield Road in April 2010. The Tribunale held that premium payable for a 90 year extension to the existing Lease should be £7,705. This case affected 1 flat. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 76 years.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Whetstone what are the most common lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Whetstone. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the building
• A duty to insure the building
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You could encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Yorkshire Building Society, The Mortgage Works, and Bank of Ireland all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.