It is a dozen years since I purchased my home in Clent. Conveyancing lawyers have now been retained on the sale but I am unable to find my title documents. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be retained by the lender or they may still be with the lawyers who acted in the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Clent relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

Is it necessary during the course of the conveyancing process to visit the offices of the solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Clent so that I can attend their offices if necessary.

Most conveyancing panel lawyers for mortgage companies carry out their work via Royal Mail, e-mail or over phone calls. This means that they can undertake the conveyancing transaction regardless of where you live in England or Wales. That being said you can check if you have the option of attending the offices of your conveyancing lawyer if needed.

I just acquired a flat at auction in Clent. Conveyancing is necessary. What is next?

Now that you have exchanged you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor soon as you will have a fast approaching a fixed date to complete the conveyancing. An auction property will have a bespoke auction pack. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the legal papers may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation pertinent to leasehold premises. You should pass this on to the conveyancer working for you at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that your finances are in place to complete on the date specified in the contract.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nationwide. Clent conveyancing practitioners were chosen. How long does it take for Nationwide to issue the offer to the solicitor?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Nationwide completed the valuation? Have you advised Nationwide as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

It is unclear whether my mortgage offer requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Clent building society branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't a problem and they will lend. My Clent conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Your lawyer has to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 provisions for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Clent. I happened to stumble across a site which looks to be the perfect solution If it is possible to get all formalities completed via web that would be ideal. Should I be concerned? What should out be looking out for?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Clent what are the most frequent lease defects?

Leasehold conveyancing in Clent is not unique. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain clauses are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

You will encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Bank of Scotland, and Aldermore all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.

I inherited a 1st floor flat in Clent, conveyancing having been completed in 1999. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Clent with over 90 years remaining are worth £227,000. The ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2096

With just 72 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus 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 renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.