Jane (my partner) and I may need to sub-let our Rawcliffe ground floor flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We used a Rawcliffe conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

The lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; in particular, it will say if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Rawcliffe do not contain subletting altogether – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Rawcliffe. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• You should receive a copy of the lease

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Rawcliffe. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Rawcliffe are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Rawcliffe in which case you should be shopping around for a Rawcliffe conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being 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 freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I own a leasehold flat in Rawcliffe. Conveyancing and Alliance & Leicester mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing practitioner in Rawcliffe who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Rawcliffe conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am looking at a two apartments in Rawcliffe which have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Rawcliffe. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

Rawcliffe Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

How much is the ground rent and service charge? Best to be warned whether redecorating or some other significant cost is due in the near future that will be shared between the leaseholders and could well dramatically impact the level of the maintenance charges or result in a one off invoice. Where a Rawcliffe lease has fewer than eighty years it will affect the salability of the flat. Check with your bank that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease at some point and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. For most Rawcliffelease extensions you would need to own the property for two years in order to be entitled to extend the lease.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Rawcliffe