Frank (my husband) and I may need to sub-let our Whimple ground floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Whimple conveyancing practice in 2003 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Even though your previous Whimple conveyancing solicitor is no longer available you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you need to obtain permission from your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior permission. The consent is not allowed to be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Whimple. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Whimple ?

The majority of houses in Whimple are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Whimple in which case you should be shopping around for a Whimple conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant 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 service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will appraise you on the various issues.

Back In 2006, I bought a leasehold flat in Whimple. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Whimple who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Whimple conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am attracted to a couple of flats in Whimple which have approximately forty five years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Whimple. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea 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 extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Whimple with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Whimple can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers representatives.
• Many landlords or managing agents in Whimple charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Whimple.

I own a basement flat in Whimple, conveyancing was carried out 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Whimple with an extended lease are worth £234,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2101

You have 80 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Whimple