Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a search tool with a view to list firms on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society conveyancing panel for instance in Chelmsford?

We would not expect to be advised of any intention on the part of the BSA to develop such a search facility.

The deeds to our house can not be found. The conveyancers who dealt with the conveyancing in Chelmsford 10 years ago no longer exist. Will I be able to sell the house?

Gone are the days when you need to have the physical deeds to evidence that you are the owner of your registered land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one near me in Chelmsford I like with amenity areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Chelmsford for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be problematic. Reduce the offer by the anticipated 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 could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for some conveyancing in Chelmsford. I've stumble across a web site which seems to have the perfect answer If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via phone that would be ideal. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

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 work for a reputable estate agent office in Chelmsford where we have experienced a few flat sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Chelmsford conveyancing firms. Please can you clarify whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I bought a split level flat in Chelmsford, conveyancing formalities finalised 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Chelmsford with a long lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2083

With just 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you 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 concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.