Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Lydney garden flat for a while due to a new job. We used a Lydney conveyancing firm in 2003 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Lydney do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to review 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.

Looking forward to complete next month on a leasehold property in Lydney. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Lydney should include some of the following:

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

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my 2 bed flat in Lydney.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is discharge 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Lydney. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Lydney are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Lydney in which case you should be looking for a Lydney conveyancing solicitor and be sure 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 tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Completion in due on our sale of a £275000 maisonette in Lydney in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £396 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Lydney?

Lydney conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally necessitates the buyer’s lawyer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions the majority will be content to assist. They may levy a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

Lydney Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

Plenty Lydney leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building levied on behalf of the management company. If you buy the flat you will have to pay this liability, normally in instalments throughout the year. This can vary from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge to be met annual, this is usually not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you should to enquire it because occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. Where a Lydney lease has fewer than eighty years it will have adverse implications on the marketability of the flat. Check with your mortgage company that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. A short lease means that you will probably need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be required to have been the owner of the premises for two years before you are entitled to exercise a lease extension. In the main the outlay for major works tend not to be built into the maintenance charges, although a few managing agents in Lydney obliged leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for larger works.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Lydney