I am intending to sublet my leasehold flat in Walton. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

A lease dictates the relationship between the landlord and you the leaseholder; specifically, it will set out if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Walton do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the property. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

Planning to complete next month on a ground floor flat in Walton. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully next week. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Walton should include some of the following:

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark

The physical extent of the demise. This will be the property itself but could also incorporate a roof space or cellar if applicable.

Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future

Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)

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

Responsibility for repairing the window frames

What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Walton please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Walton

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agency in Walton where we have experienced a number of flat sales put at risk due to short leases. I have received conflicting advice from local Walton conveyancing solicitors. Could you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is 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 purchaser.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Walton with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Walton can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers solicitors.
• Many freeholders or Management Companies in Walton charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Walton.

In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Walton leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. If you dont have the paperwork to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer first.

If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a property where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as over rather than unresolved.

If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming formality and frustrates many a Walton home move. Where a duplicate share is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this as soon as possible.

We expect to complete the disposal of our £350000 garden flat in Walton on Thursday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £300 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Walton?

Walton conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes typically involves fees being raised by freeholders :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Walton
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Walton leasehold premises is £350. For Walton 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 obliged to provide answers.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can one apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Walton conveyancing firm to represent me?

Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Walton conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Walton premises is 147 Redford Close in June 2012. The Tribunal determined the lease extension premium to be at £4,200 This case affected 1 flat. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 82.93 years.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Walton