I want to sublet my leasehold flat in Shirehampton. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Even though your last Shirehampton conveyancing lawyer is not available you can review your lease to see if it allows you to sublet the premises. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek permission from your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. This means that you cannot sublet without prior permission. The consent is not allowed to be unreasonably withheld. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

There are only Sixty One years remaining on my lease in Shirehampton. I need 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 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 extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. For most situations an enquiry agent should be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Shirehampton.

Back In 2000, I bought a leasehold flat in Shirehampton. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage organised. 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 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Shirehampton who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Shirehampton conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Shirehampton. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Shirehampton conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Shirehampton conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Shirehampton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:

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

Shirehampton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before buying

The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants enjoy control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. You will want to find out as much as you can about the managing agents as they will either make life much simpler or uncomfortable. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day issues like the upkeep of the communal areas. You should not be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of them. On a final note, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the relevant party and precisely what you get for your money. How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the apartment?

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Lease Extensions in Shirehampton