I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Abridge. Before diving in I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Abridge - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Seventy years remaining on my lease in Abridge. I now wish to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, 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 mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. On the whole a specialist may be helpful to try and locate and to produce a report to be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Abridge.

I am hoping to exchange soon on a basement flat in Abridge. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The total extent of the premises. This will be the flat itself but could also include a loft or cellar if applicable.
• Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of common areas in the block.For instance, does the lease contain a right of way over a path or staircase?
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
• 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

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Abridge. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Abridge are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Abridge so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Abridge conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First 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 will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Abridge both have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Abridge. The lease is a right to use the premises for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

After years of dialogue we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Abridge. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Abridge conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Abridge property is 201 & 201a St. Barnabas Road in October 2013. The Tribunal decided that the price to be paid by the Applicants for the freehold interest is £20,071. This case related to 2 flats. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 69.26 years.

I own a garden flat in Abridge, conveyancing having been completed 1995. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding flats in Abridge with a long lease are worth £167,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2084

With just 58 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £23,800 and £27,400 plus legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.