I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in South Wimbledon. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in South Wimbledon - 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.

I only have 68 years unexpired on my lease in South Wimbledon. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What options are available to me?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission 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 find the landlord. For most situations a specialist should be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing South Wimbledon.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in South Wimbledon. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• How long the lease is You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• The physical extent of the property. This will be the property itself but could also incorporate a roof space or basement if appropriate.
• Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
• Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• 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
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in South Wimbledon.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you clear 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.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a South Wimbledon conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a South Wimbledon conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with two or three firms including non South Wimbledon conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• Can they put you in touch with client in South Wimbledon who can give a testimonial?
• What are the charges for lease extension work?

Having spent months of negotiations we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in South Wimbledon. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a South Wimbledon conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a South Wimbledon property is 14 Nutwell Street in January 2014. The premium payable for the acquisition of a new lease of the subject premises was in the sum of £30,523 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 62.94 years.

I bought a split level flat in South Wimbledon, conveyancing was carried out 2010. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in South Wimbledon with an extended lease are worth £207,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2089

With only 63 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £20,000 and £23,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.