I am in the market for a low cost property lawyer. Do I opt for a nationwide conveyancer rather than a high street High Wycombe conveyancing lawyer?

Established third party connections is an important consideration when choosing conveyancing solicitors. High Wycombe conveyancers enjoy connections with financial advisers and estate, local authorities, surveyors and other law firms meaning you will move in shortest possible time. Having a sound insight into the local area is also a plus .

My husband and I are approaching an exchange on a property in High Wycombe and my mum and dad have sent the 10% deposit to my property lawyer. I am now informed that as the deposit has not arrived from me my conveyancing practitioner needs to disclose this to my lender. Apparently, in also acting for the lender he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is coming from anyone other than me. I informed the mortgage company regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?

The solicitor is legally required to clarify with the bank to make sure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. The solicitor can only report this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

The deeds to my property can not be found. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in High Wycombe 10 years ago no longer exist. What are my options?

Assuming you have a registered title the information relating to your proprietorship will be documented by HMLR with a Title Number. It is easy to execute a search at the Land Registry, identify your property and obtain current copies of the Registered Entries for less than a fiver. Where the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for a small fee.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in High Wycombe which have approximately 50 years left on the leases. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in High Wycombe. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We recommend you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area.

I bought a ground floor flat in High Wycombe, conveyancing was carried out in 2007. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in High Wycombe with a long lease are worth £227,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2095

You have 71 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

The estate agent has recommended their conveyancer for the conveyancing in High Wycombe - won’t it be advisable to just use them?

You need to establish if the estate agent is recommending a property lawyer or introducing to a conveyancing practitioner. There are plenty of High Wycombe estate agents who recommend two or three High Wycombe conveyancing firms and get nothing from it.