I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Horfield. Before I get started I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Horfield - 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.

Planning to exchange soon on a leasehold property in Horfield. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• The physical extent of the demise. This will be the apartment itself but might include a loft or cellar if applicable.
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• You must be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• What options are open to you if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease?

I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in Horfield.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge 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 until 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 work for a reputable estate agency in Horfield where we have witnessed a number of flat sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Horfield conveyancing solicitors. Could you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the buyer?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Horfield conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Horfield conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Horfield conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they carried out in Horfield in the last 12 months?
• What are the charges for lease extension work?

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Horfield, conveyancing having been completed in 2003. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Horfield with a long lease are worth £184,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2091

With just 65 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £14,300 and £16,400 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.