I have recently realised that I have 62 years unexpired on my lease in Newport Pagnell. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What are my options?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you have used your best endeavours to track down the landlord. In some cases a specialist would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Newport Pagnell.

You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

I am hoping to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Newport Pagnell. Conveyancing solicitors have said 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 Newport Pagnell should include some of the following:

• Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What options are open to you if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Newport Pagnell please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Newport Pagnell

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Newport Pagnell. Conveyancing and Skipton Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Newport Pagnell who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

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. You do not need to instruct a Newport Pagnell conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Newport Pagnell. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £ 400000 apartment in Newport Pagnell in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Newport Pagnell?

Newport Pagnell conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not requires the purchaser’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to such questions most will be willing to do so. They may charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

I bought a split level flat in Newport Pagnell, conveyancing was carried out in 2008. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Newport Pagnell with an extended lease are worth £238,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease terminates on 21st October 2082

With 56 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.