Looking forward to exchange soon on a basement flat in Darley Abbey. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, 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

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

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 rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.

Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Darley Abbey please enquire of your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Darley Abbey

I’m about to sell my ground floor apartment in Darley Abbey.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is clear the invoice 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Darley Abbey. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Darley Abbey are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Darley Abbey in which case you should be looking for a Darley Abbey conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Darley Abbey both have about forty five years remaining on the lease term. should I be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the marketability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £300000 garden flat in Darley Abbey next week. The management company has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Darley Abbey?

Darley Abbey conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes nine out of ten times involves administration charges raised by management companies :

• Addressing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Darley Abbey
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Darley Abbey leasehold property is £350. For Darley Abbey 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 answers.

I bought a ground floor flat in Darley Abbey, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Darley Abbey with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2078

With only 53 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in Darley Abbey