I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Stapleton. Before diving in I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Stapleton - 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.

There are only Fifty years unexpired on my lease in Stapleton. I need to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What should I do?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you have done all that could be expected to locate the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent should be helpful to try and locate and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Stapleton.

Due to complete next month on a ground floor flat in Stapleton. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Stapleton should include some of the following:

• The total extent of the property. This will be the property itself but could also include a loft or cellar if applicable.
• Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the property, or working from home
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Stapleton which have about fifty years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Stapleton. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease decreases and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Stapleton conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Stapleton conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Stapleton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they completed in Stapleton in the last twenty four months?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Stapleton who can give a testimonial?

I bought a studio flat in Stapleton, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2000. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Stapleton with a long lease are worth £211,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2089

You have 63 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.