Helen (my wife) and I may need to sub-let our Ravensthorpe basement flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Ravensthorpe conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

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

I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in Ravensthorpe.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the invoice 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 management companies 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 reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Ravensthorpe. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Ravensthorpe ?

The majority of houses in Ravensthorpe are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Ravensthorpe in which case you should be shopping around for a Ravensthorpe conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I own a leasehold flat in Ravensthorpe. Conveyancing and HSBC Bank mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Ravensthorpe who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Ravensthorpe conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Ravensthorpe conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ravensthorpe conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Ravensthorpe conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

• Can they put you in touch with client in Ravensthorpe who can give a testimonial?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Ravensthorpe - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Who is in charge of the block? Many Ravensthorpe leasehold properties will have a service bill for maintenance of the building set by the management company. Should you acquire the apartment you will have to pay this amount, normally in instalments throughout the year. This could differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common grounds. There will also be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, ordinarily this is not a significant sum, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire as sometimes it could be prohibitively expensive. Best to be warned if window replacement or some other significant cost is anticipated that will be shared amongst the tenants and will dramatically impact the level of the service costs or require a specific invoice.

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Lease Extensions in Ravensthorpe