Planning to complete next month on a basement flat in Woodley. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark
• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
• The physical extent of the premises. This will be the apartment itself but may include a roof space or cellar if appropriate.
• Does the lease prevent you from renting out the property, or having a home office for business
• I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
• 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
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames

I have just started marketing my ground floor flat in Woodley.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you pay the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Woodley. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Woodley ?

Most houses in Woodley 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 buying in Woodley in which case you should be shopping around for a Woodley conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.

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

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

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions has the firm completed in Woodley in the last twenty four months?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Woodley with the purpose of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Woodley can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers representatives.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Woodley leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. Should you dont have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer in the first instance.
• Some Woodley leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.
• If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a new share certificate can be a lengthy formality and delays many a Woodley conveyancing deal. If a new share certificate is required, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should verify this via your conveyancers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

I inherited a garden flat in Woodley, conveyancing having been completed in 2009. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Woodley with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2098

With 72 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.