Frank (my husband) and I may need to let out our Watlington basement flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Watlington conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Watlington do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. 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 permission.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 72 years unexpired on my flat in Watlington. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?

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 enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent may be useful to try and locate and prepare a report which can be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Watlington.

Planning to complete next month on a studio apartment in Watlington. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

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

• The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Watlington. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Watlington ?

The majority of houses in Watlington are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Watlington in which case you should be looking for a Watlington conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

I own a leasehold house in Watlington. Conveyancing and Britannia 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 demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Watlington who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Watlington conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Watlington Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Is the freehold reversion owned jointly by the tenants? Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge payments? You should want to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they can either make your living at the property much easier or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues like the cleanliness of the common parts. Ask other tenants if they are happy with them. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Watlington