Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Seventy years left on my lease in St Andrews. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?

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 for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to find the freeholder. On the whole an enquiry agent should be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing St Andrews.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in St Andrews. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in St Andrews are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in St Andrews so you should seriously consider shopping around for a St Andrews conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution 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 house in St Andrews. Conveyancing and Virgin Money mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in St Andrews who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a St Andrews conveyancing solicitor 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 legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in St Andrews from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in St Andrews can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers lawyers.
• The majority landlords or Management Companies in St Andrews levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in St Andrews.

Completion in due on the sale of our £350000 apartment in St Andrews next week. The landlords agents has quoted £396 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in St Andrews?

St Andrews conveyancing on leasehold flats often necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are at liberty charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

I purchased a studio flat in St Andrews, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar properties in St Andrews with an extended lease are worth £229,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2101

With only 76 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as 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 a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in St Andrews