It is 10 years ago since I bought my home in Barton Le Clay. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been instructed on the sale but I can't track down the title deeds. Will this cause complications?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by the lender or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who oversaw the purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Barton Le Clay relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

I am helping my step-mother sell her property in Barton Le Clay. Does the solicitor order an energy assessment or it is for the owner to see to?

After the abolition of HIPs, EPC’s was left as a required component of selling a house. An energy assessment must be to hand before the property is marketed. This is not as aspect of the sale process that conveyancers ordinarily organise. Where you are using a Barton Le Clay conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with long established local assessors

I can not work out if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Barton Le Clay building society branch on numerous occasions and was told it does not affect the mortgage offer and they would lend. My Barton Le Clay conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- called to say that they would not lend based on their specific requirements. I have no idea who is right.

The conveyancing practitioner has to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 provisions for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank 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 lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

Nationwide have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a house in Barton Le Clay has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

Your estate agent will wish to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s panel). Contact Nationwide or your financial adviser and complete any outstanding documentation. Nationwide will instruct a valuer who will get in contact with the selling agent or vendor to arrange a time for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average a week for the mortgage offer to be issued. Nationwide will issue the offer to you and your lawyers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Barton Le Clay.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Barton Le Clay?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Barton Le Clay. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Barton Le Clay. Conveyancing is daunting 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 conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Barton Le Clay

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one close by in Barton Le Clay I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it only has 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Barton Le Clay in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.