It is 10 years ago since I acquired my house in Alnmouth. Conveyancing solicitors have now been appointed on the sale but I am unable to locate my title documents. Will this jeopardise the sale?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be kept by your lender or they could stored with the conveyancers who acted in the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Alnmouth relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

When reviewing moneysavingexpert.com for a recommended lawyer in Alnmouth, many comment that I should look for a CQS kitemarked lawyer. What is CQS?

The Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) provides a recognised quality standard for residential conveyancing practices issued by the Law Society. Membership achievement establishes a level of credibility for member firms with stakeholders (regulators, lenders, insurers and consumers) based upon: * the integrity of the senior responsible officer and other key conveyancing staff * the firm's adherence to good practice management standards * compliance with best practice conveyancing procedures via the scheme protocol Membership includes many partnerships who handle conveyancing in Alnmouth.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for purchase conveyancing in Alnmouth. I have stumble across a site which seems to have the ideal offering If it is possible to get all formalities done 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?

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Alnmouth. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Alnmouth are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Alnmouth so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Alnmouth conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I bought a ground floor flat in Alnmouth, conveyancing having been completed in 2005. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar flats in Alnmouth with an extended lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2095

With only 71 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on 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 may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

My partner is buying a garden flat in Alnmouth. He was given a quote by the conveyancer recommended by the selling agents and it came to £1245 . It was seven years ago since I sold and purchased a home and the bill was £600. Have charges really escalated to that extent?

What does the conveyancing estimate include? Is it just for the legal fees, or what you will be paying in total (for instance Alnmouth searches, land registry fees, etc)