Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Newbury. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Newbury - 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 want to sublet my leasehold flat in Newbury. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Notwithstanding that your previous Newbury conveyancing lawyer is no longer available you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the apartment. The accepted inference is that if the lease is silent, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek consent via your landlord or other appropriate person before subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without prior permission. Such consent should not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease prohibits you from letting out the property you should ask your landlord for their consent.

I only have 68 years unexpired on my flat in Newbury. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What should I do?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the lessor. In some cases an enquiry agent should be helpful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Newbury.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my 2 bed flat in Newbury.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – 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 unless 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 reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Newbury. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Newbury 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. We note that you are buying in Newbury in which case you should be shopping around for a Newbury conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee 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’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

I own a basement flat in Newbury, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2011. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Newbury with over 90 years remaining are worth £232,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2087

With just 63 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £19,000 and £22,000 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Newbury