Harry (my fiance) and I may need to let out our Kingstanding basement flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Kingstanding conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your last Kingstanding conveyancing lawyer is not available you can check your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the lease is silent, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you must seek consent from your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. This means that you cannot sublet in the absence of prior permission. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably turned down. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

Expecting to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Kingstanding. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The physical extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but could also include a roof space or basement if appropriate.

I’m about to sell my ground floor apartment in Kingstanding.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – 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 managing agents 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Kingstanding. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Kingstanding ?

Most houses in Kingstanding are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Kingstanding in which case you should be looking for a Kingstanding conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I own a leasehold flat in Kingstanding. Conveyancing and Bank of Ireland mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Kingstanding who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Kingstanding conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am the registered owner of a studio flat in Kingstanding, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Equivalent properties in Kingstanding with a long lease are worth £195,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2088

With just 63 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £15,200 and £17,600 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Kingstanding