Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 62 years left on my lease in Woodhouse and Handsworth. I now wish to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What options are available to me?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply 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 demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent should be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Woodhouse and Handsworth.

Due to complete next month on a studio apartment in Woodhouse and Handsworth. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The total extent of the premises. This will be the flat itself but might include a roof space or basement if appropriate.

Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?

You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease

Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

Repair and maintenance of the flat

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Woodhouse and Handsworth please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Woodhouse and Handsworth. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Woodhouse and Handsworth are freehold rather than 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 buying in Woodhouse and Handsworth in which case you should be looking for a Woodhouse and Handsworth conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.

All being well we will complete our sale of a £375000 flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth next Wednesday . The managing agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Woodhouse and Handsworth?

For most leasehold sales in Woodhouse and Handsworth conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Addressing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Woodhouse and Handsworth
• Supplying insurance information
• 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 Woodhouse and Handsworth leasehold premises is £350. For Woodhouse and Handsworth 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.

What makes a Woodhouse and Handsworth lease problematic?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth. All leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Yorkshire Building Society, Coventry Building Society, and Bank of Ireland all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

I purchased a leasehold flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth, conveyancing was carried out in 2000. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Woodhouse and Handsworth with an extended lease are worth £200,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2078

You have 53 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £30,400 and £35,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

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Lease Extensions in Woodhouse and Handsworth