My partner and I may need to let out our Long Eaton ground floor flat for a while due to a new job. We used a Long Eaton conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Long Eaton do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting consent.

I am hoping to complete next month on a basement flat in Long Eaton. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Long Eaton 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
• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
• The total extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but might incorporate a roof space or cellar if appropriate.
• Whether the lease restricts you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business
• You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Long Eaton. Conveyancing and Alliance & Leicester mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Long Eaton who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

First contact HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Long Eaton conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am attracted to a couple of maisonettes in Long Eaton which have approximately 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Long Eaton. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is generally wise to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Long Eaton with the aim of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Long Eaton can be avoided if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
• Many freeholders or Management Companies in Long Eaton levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Long Eaton.
• Some Long Eaton leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
• If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic rather than unresolved.
• If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a replacement share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Long Eaton conveyancing deal. If a reissued share is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Long Eaton - Examples of Queries before buying

Plenty Long Eaton leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building invoiced by the freeholder. Should you acquire the flat you will have to meet this amount, normally quarterly accross the year. This may differ from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. There will also be a rentcharge to be met yearly, this is usually not a large sum, say around £50-£100 but you should to check as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. How much is the service charge and ground rent on the property?