I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Stow on the Wold. Before I get started I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Stow on the Wold - 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.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to let out our Stow on the Wold ground floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Stow on the Wold conveyancing practice in 2001 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Stow on the Wold conveyancing solicitor is not available you can check your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the apartment. The rule is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you must seek permission via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of first obtaining permission. Such consent must not not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease prohibits you from letting out the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

I only have 62 years remaining on my flat in Stow on the Wold. I need to get lease extension but my freeholder is missing. What should I do?

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 an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have used your best endeavours to track down the landlord. For most situations a specialist may be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Stow on the Wold.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £ 425000 maisonette in Stow on the Wold on Friday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Stow on the Wold?

Stow on the Wold conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are entitled levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

What makes a Stow on the Wold lease unmortgageable?

Leasehold conveyancing in Stow on the Wold is not unique. Most leases is drafted differently and drafting errors can result in certain clauses are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the building
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Barclays , Bank of Scotland, and Alliance & Leicester all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to withdraw.

Stow on the Wold Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

In the main the outlay for major works are not built into the service charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Stow on the Wold obliged leasehold owners to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against larger works.