I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Whitechapel. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Whitechapel - 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.

There are only Sixty One years left on my lease in Whitechapel. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder 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 enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Whitechapel.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Whitechapel. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Whitechapel ?

The majority of houses in Whitechapel are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Whitechapel so you should seriously consider looking for a Whitechapel conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

I own a leasehold house in Whitechapel. Conveyancing and Alliance & Leicester mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Whitechapel who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Whitechapel conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Whitechapel from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Whitechapel can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
• The majority landlords or managing agents in Whitechapel charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Whitechapel.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Whitechapel state that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. Where you dont have the consents to hand you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share document. Organising a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming process and frustrates many a Whitechapel conveyancing transaction. Where a new share certificate is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is below 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

I own a basement flat in Whitechapel. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the premium due for a lease extension?

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

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Whitechapel residence is 1-41 Royal Tower Lodge 40 Cartwright Street in April 2013. the tribunal adding the agreed value of capitalised ground rents and the reversion the price to be paid for the freehold was £1,187,000 This case affected 41 flats. The unexpired term was 107 years.

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Whitechapel, conveyancing having been completed 8 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Whitechapel with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2080

With only 54 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.