My fiance and I may need to let out our Warrington ground floor flat for a while due to a new job. We used a Warrington conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have closed and we did not think at the time seek any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Warrington do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting consent.

I own a leasehold house in Warrington. Conveyancing and Santander mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Warrington who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Warrington conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two apartments in Warrington both have about forty five years unexpired on the lease term. should I be concerned?

A lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Warrington conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Warrington conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Warrington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £ 450000 apartment in Warrington next week. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Warrington?

Warrington conveyancing on leasehold flats typically necessitates administration charges invoiced by landlords agents :

• Addressing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Warrington
• 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 Warrington leasehold premises is £350. For Warrington 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 the information.

Warrington Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

In the main the cost for major works tend not to be included within maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Warrington obliged leasehold owners to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for major works. This question is useful as a) areas could cause problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the running of the building you will need to have complete disclosure