This question may be naive but I am unexperienced as a first time purchaser of a ground floor flat in Northampton. Do I receive the keys to the premises on the completion date from my solicitor? If so, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Northampton?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will arrange to send the purchase money to the seller's solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be called to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

A friend advised me that in buying a property in Northampton there may be a number of restrictions affecting the ability to carry out external alterations to the property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Northampton which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Northampton should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

Please help - my lawyer says that absentee landlord insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Northampton conveyancing?

The appropriate level of absentee landlord indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between Halifax and Coventry Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Northampton. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Northampton

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

I've recently found out 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. Northampton is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Northampton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Northampton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Northampton 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 premises.

I only have 72 years remaining on my lease in Northampton. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to find the lessor. In some cases an enquiry agent may be useful to carry out a search and prepare an expert document which can be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Northampton.

I own a studio flat in Northampton, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Northampton with a long lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2088

With 64 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £14,300 and £16,400 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. 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 taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

My aim is to purchase a ground floor apartment in Northampton. Conveyancing lawyer is awaiting, from the vendor, building insurance documents. I was told today I was advised that the owner must forward the insurance documents for the flat above in addition. Why would my lawyer want to review the insurance for the other flat? Is it really necessary? We have been in hold for the last month…

It is not impossible in leasehold conveyancing in Northampton to find Conveyancing in Northampton in a minority of cases reveals that the lease obliges the leasehold owners to insure their individual flats as opposed to the freeholder insuring the entire property - which is clearly better. Do clarify with your property lawyer but it would seem that your conveyancing practitioner is looking to verify that the whole building is insured. Insuring a ground floor flat is no help when it comes to rebuilding after a fire if the other flat cannot be reconstructed due to lack of insurance cover.