I used Action Conveyancing a few years ago for my conveyancing in Bracknell. I now require my file but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bracknell of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Bracknell. 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 conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Bracknell

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and identified one close by in Bracknell I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Bracknell suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Bracknell which have about forty five years left on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Bracknell is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the salability of the premises. For most buyers and mortgage companies, leases with less than eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Bracknell conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Bracknell, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable flats in Bracknell with over 90 years remaining are worth £175,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2083

With only 58 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £23,800 and £27,400 as well as professional fees.

The figure 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 comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

At last I have had an offer on an apartment in Bracknell accepted, the vendor does however have an associated purchase. The current proprietors have offered on a flat, but it’s not yet tied up, and has viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have instructed a local conveyancing lawyer in Bracknell. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with Skipton going with Skipton?

It is standard to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (home loan application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Bracknell conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Skipton conveyancing panel. Concerning the next phase this very much depends on the circumstances of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some home buyers will apply for a home loan with Skipton and pay for the survey and only if it was satisfactory would they request their lawyer to proceed with the conveyancing in Bracknell.