I am assisting my niece sell her property in Blakeney. Will the conveyancer arrange the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to coordinate?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, EPC’s was left as a mandatory component of moving property. An energy performance certificate needs to be to hand before the property is marketed. This is not a task that conveyancers normally organise. Where you are using a Blakeney conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with reputable Blakeney accredited person

Does a directory service exist listing RBS panel conveyancers in Blakeney on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings open the public on the web. If you are looking for a Blakeney solicitor on the RBS please use our facility.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Blakeney. I have a mortgage offer with HSBC. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel.

A friend advised me that where I am buying in Blakeney I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Blakeney conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Blakeney around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Blakeney.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Blakeney. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Blakeney and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with the conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Blakeney. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Blakeney are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Blakeney so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Blakeney conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.

I invested in buying a split level flat in Blakeney, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Blakeney with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2095

With 71 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

My a decade ago. He has since got wed, widowed and is now remarried. He now wants to dispose of the Blakeney property. I believe he will just be asked to supply copies of his marriage certificates to the property lawyer but he is anxious it will delay the home move. Is it worth updating the Land Registry details for the house?

The is no need to bring up to date the register as long as you have the proof required to show how the name change has come about.

Any purchaser’s lawyer will examine the land registry information and requisition evidence by way of proof of the name change e.g. marriage certificates.