I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Stanford Le Hope - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I would like to rent out my leasehold apartment in Stanford Le Hope. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Even though your previous Stanford Le Hope conveyancing solicitor is not around you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you need to obtain consent from your landlord or other appropriate person before subletting. This means that you cannot sublet without first obtaining permission. The consent must not not be unreasonably withheld. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Stanford Le Hope both have about fifty years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

I work for a busy estate agency in Stanford Le Hope where we have experienced a few flat sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Stanford Le Hope conveyancing firms. Please can you clarify whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Stanford Le Hope conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Stanford Le Hope conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Stanford Le Hope conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Stanford Le Hope in the last 12 months?
• What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Stanford Le Hope, conveyancing having been completed in 2011. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Stanford Le Hope with over 90 years remaining are worth £238,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 2094

With 68 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.