My wife and I may need to sub-let our Thetford garden flat temporarily due to a new job. We instructed a Thetford conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Even though your last Thetford conveyancing lawyer is no longer available you can review your lease to see if it allows you to sublet the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you need to seek permission via your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. This means that you cannot sublet in the absence of prior permission. Such consent must not not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Thetford. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

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

• The physical extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but may include a loft or cellar if appropriate.

Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?

Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or working from home

Repair and maintenance of the flat

I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?

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 For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Thetford please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Thetford

I have just started marketing my garden apartment in Thetford.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you clear the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Thetford. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Thetford are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Thetford so you should seriously consider looking for a Thetford conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £175000 apartment in Thetford on Monday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Thetford?

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

• Answering pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Thetford
• 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 lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Thetford leasehold premises is £350. For Thetford 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.

Thetford Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge payments? Where a Thetford lease has fewer than 80 years it will impact the value of the property. Check with your mortgage company that they are content with the length of the lease. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably require a lease extension at some point and it is worth finding out what this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be be obliged to have been the owner of the property for 24 months in order to be legally able to extend the lease. For most Thetford leaseholds the cost for major works tend not to be built into the maintenance charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Thetford obliged leasehold owners to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific intention of building a fund for major works.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Thetford