We're in Braunton, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Kent Reliance , and our solicitor is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

The deeds to our property are lost. The lawyers who handled the conveyancing in Braunton 5 years ago no longer exist. Will I be able to sell the house?

You no longer need to have the physical deeds to prove you are the registered proprietor of land or premises, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

I'm buying a new build house in Braunton with a loan from Leeds Building Society. The builders would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The property agent told me not to tell my solicitor about the extras as it would put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Braunton is the location of the property. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Braunton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Braunton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Braunton may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

What are the frequently found deficiencies that you witness in leases for Braunton properties?

Leasehold conveyancing in Braunton is not unique. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the property Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

A defective lease will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Birmingham Midshires, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and TSB all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I purchased a split level flat in Braunton, conveyancing having been completed 6 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Braunton with over 90 years remaining are worth £192,000. The ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease ceases on 21st October 2078

With 54 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £32,300 and £37,400 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.