I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Luton. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Luton - 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.

I have just started marketing my garden flat in Luton.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Luton. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Luton are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Luton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Luton conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

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

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Luton conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Luton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions have they completed in Luton in the last 12 months?

All being well we will complete the sale of our £ 375000 flat in Luton in six days. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Luton?

Luton conveyancing on leasehold apartments typically necessitates fees being invoiced by managing agents :

• Addressing pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Luton
• Supplying insurance information
• 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 Luton leasehold premises is £350. For Luton 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 the information.

Luton Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying

This question is helpful as a) areas could cause problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to know about it The majority of Luton leasehold flats will incur a service charge for maintenance of the building invoiced by the freeholder. Where you purchase the property you will have to pay this liability, normally periodically accross the year. This could be anything from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant figure, say around £25-£75 but you need to check as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds.