Property: Home truths

Garden thefts

With summer approaching, I have just bought a set of garden furniture. Last summer there was a spate of thefts from gardens in my area. Will this be covered by my household insurance if it is stolen?

I Moore, Somerset

Garden furniture may be covered by your home insurance, but this differs from policy to policy. Some home insurance policies cover items in your garden providing they are no more than 250 metres from your house, but cover is often limited to a total of pounds 250 or so.

If your policy does not cover your garden furniture, your insurance company should be able to give you further information about the policy or extension you need.

Longer lease of life

I want to extend the lease on my house and I think I can do this because of leasehold reform legislation, but I do not have any of the details. How do I start the process and how much does it cost?

J Elliot, Stoke-on-Trent

To extend your lease you must give notice to your landlord or freeholder. You need a special form for this, and will need to take legal advice from a solicitor or Citizens' Advice Bureau.

Your landlord is obliged to reply within two months, either agreeing to your request or giving reasons for declining. You do not have to pay to extend your lease, but you will have to pay your legal costs and any reasonable costs your landlord charges for his or her time.

Moving overseas

I am employed by an international company and have been offered a job in Singapore. My partner and I have decided this would be a great opportunity for us, so we are going to sell our home and move out there. We don't know of any removal firms that offer an international service. Can you help?

S Taylor, Manchester

Pickfords offers an international removal service: telephone 0800 212102. There are also a number of companies listed on the internet, such as International Household Removals. This site is very useful in explaining the services on offer. The site address is http://www.excessbaggage.com/removals/. If you don't have access to the internet, you can call International Household Removals on 0181-965 3344.

You should always get as many quotes as possible and look at the level of service offered by firms. Good luck.

Puzzled by terms

I am very confused about the different types of insurance policy that you should or can take out with a mortgage. Can you tell me what a decreasing term policy is?

A Sharpe, Newham

This is a life assurance policy that pays out a guaranteed sum on the death of the policy-holder. The amount normally decreases roughly in line with the balance of your mortgage.

This policy is designed for use with a repayment mortgage, where the balance of the mortgage reduces as you pay it off. It is not suitable for interest-only mortgages where the balance remains constant throughout the mortgage term.

q George Wise is managing director of NatWest UK Mortgage Services.

q Send your queries on practical property issues to: Home Truths, 'Independent on Sunday', 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL; fax 0171-293 2043; e- mail sundayproperty@independent.co.uk.