My previous lawyer has given a fee calculation of £1350 for freehold conveyancing in Birmingham. I am looking to sell a modern house for £250,000. This sounds too much. Is it above what I should be paying for conveyancing in Birmingham?

The estimate does seem a tad overpriced. If you are happy to invest time scrutinising fee on a like for like basis you could shave off some of the cost by say £100 plus VAT. On the other hand, you couldlive to regret opting for an an untested conveyancer. Remember to check the conveyancer can also act for your mortgage company. You can use our search tool to find a Birmingham conveyancing firm on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Birmingham.

The housing market in Birmingham is heating up. What can I do to speed up matters?

Where you are under pressure for your conveyancing it is highly recommended that your lawyer is familiar with the location as they will have local relationships and know-how. It is possible that they may have transacted otherproperties in the same road. Therefore consider using a Birmingham conveyancing lawyer. Second, be sure that the conveyancing firm is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is said that just under twenty per cent of Birmingham conveyancing deals are delayed or jeopardised after finding out that a buyer’s solicitor was not on their banks member panel. This can often result in the legal process being delayed by almost 21 days. It is understood that this issue affects in the region of one hundred thousand home sales every year. Many Birmingham conveyancing firms can not act for certain banks so do check as early as possible.

I have todaybecome aware that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Birmingham for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 10 months ago. How can I be sure that my home is registered correctly in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest method to see if the property is in your name, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Birmingham conveyancing specialists.

What makes a Birmingham lease problematic?

Leasehold conveyancing in Birmingham is not unique. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain clauses are erroneous. 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 have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Birmingham Midshires, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and Barclays Direct all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

I purchased a 1st floor flat in Birmingham, conveyancing was carried out March 2006. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Birmingham with a long lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2081

With only 61 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £18,100 and £20,800 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

How does one as executor remove a deceased person's name from the title deeds for a house in Birmingham?

Where a Birmingham property is jointly owned and one of the proprietors passes away, their name will not immediately be removed from the title deeds. It is not necessary to amend the title as in the event of a disposal you would just be asked to supply proof as to the reason the other owner is not included in the contract, such as the probate documents.

With the aim of making the sale conveyancing simpler for the sale of the property you may arrange to have the deceased name removed from the title by submitting an application to HMLR with proof of the death. There is no land registry fee payable.