My wife and I may need to sub-let our Newport Pagnell basement flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Newport Pagnell conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Newport Pagnell do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience dictates 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 permission.

I have recently realised that I have Seventy years left on my lease in Newport Pagnell. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to find the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Newport Pagnell.

I own a leasehold house in Newport Pagnell. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank 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 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Newport Pagnell who previously acted has long since retired.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Newport Pagnell conveyancing lawyer 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 rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

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

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Newport Pagnell can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers representatives.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Newport Pagnell state that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord approving such works. Should you dont have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance.

A minority of Newport Pagnell leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the annual 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 solicitors.

If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy formality and slows down many a Newport Pagnell home move. Where a new share certificate is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should verify this by asking your solicitors. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

We expect to complete the sale of our £150000 flat in Newport Pagnell next Wednesday . The freeholder has quoted £396 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Newport Pagnell?

Newport Pagnell conveyancing on leasehold apartments typically results in fees being raised by managing agents :

• Addressing pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Newport Pagnell
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Newport Pagnell leasehold property is £350. For Newport Pagnell 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 required to supply the information.

I acquired a garden flat in Newport Pagnell, conveyancing having been completed in 2012. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar flats in Newport Pagnell with an extended lease are worth £187,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2088

With only 65 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £16,200 and £18,600 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Newport Pagnell