I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Windsor. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Windsor - 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.

Due to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Windsor. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully next week. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Windsor should include some of the following:

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

The total extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but may include a loft or basement if appropriate.

Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?

Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or working from home

You should be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease

Repair and maintenance of the flat

Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Windsor please ask your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Windsor

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Windsor which have in the region of 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Windsor conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Windsor conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with two or three firms including non Windsor conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Windsor in the last 12 months?

We expect to complete our sale of a £450000 garden flat in Windsor in 5 days. The managing agents has quoted £372 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Windsor?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Windsor conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Windsor
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Windsor leasehold premises is £350. For Windsor 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 provide the information.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Windsor, conveyancing having been completed 1996. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding properties in Windsor with over 90 years remaining are worth £215,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2102

With just 80 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Windsor