I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Upney. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Upney - 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've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Upney. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Upney ?

Most houses in Upney are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Upney so you should seriously consider looking for a Upney conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Upney. Conveyancing and Leeds Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Upney who previously acted has long since retired.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Upney conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Upney conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Upney conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Upney conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions have they carried out in Upney in the last year?

Having spent months of correspondence we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Upney. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Upney conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Upney premises is 49 Aldborough Road South in July 2012. The Tribunal decided that the premium payable for the grant of the new lease was £13,925 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 61.36 years.

What makes a Upney lease defective?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Upney. Most leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain clauses are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises
• 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 problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Nationwide Building Society, Barnsley Building Society, and Aldermore all have very detailed 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 provide security, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Upney, conveyancing formalities finalised 2008. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Upney with an extended lease are worth £172,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2076

You have 50 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.