I would like to rent out my leasehold flat in Silsoe. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

The lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Silsoe do not contain strict prohibition on subletting – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the sublease.

Due to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Silsoe. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

• The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years

Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?

Does the lease prevent you from letting out the property, or working from home

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building

Responsibility for repairing the window frames

What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Silsoe please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Silsoe

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

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Silsoe conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with two or three firms including non Silsoe conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

What are the charges for lease extension work?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Silsoe from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Silsoe can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
• Many landlords or Management Companies in Silsoe levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Silsoe.

If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Silsoe leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord approving such works. If you fail to have the approvals to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer before hand.

If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over rather than unresolved.

If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you have the original share document. Arranging a replacement share certificate is often a time consuming process and slows down many a Silsoe conveyancing transaction. Where a new share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

Completion in due on the sale of our £475000 garden flat in Silsoe in 8 days. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Silsoe?

For most leasehold sales in Silsoe conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Silsoe
• 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 Silsoe leasehold premises is £350. For Silsoe 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 answers.

I inherited a 2 bed flat in Silsoe, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Silsoe with over 90 years remaining are worth £173,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2098

With 77 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £11,400 and £13,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Silsoe