I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and have to be out of my let out flat in Congleton by the end of next month. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. How realistic is it to complete in 5 weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?

It is unwise to provide notice for your letting until your lawyer suggests that you should. Assuming that you have not already done so, speak to your conveyancer and urge them to they chase the other lawyers, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will work towards

We are buying a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Congleton who is on the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Santander . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Congleton.

I need some fast conveyancing in Congleton as I have pressure to exchange contracts inside one month. A mortgage is not required. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are not obtaining a mortgage you are at free not to have searches conducted although no conveyancer would advise that you don't. With lots of history conveyancing in Congleton the following are instances of issues that can arise and adversely impact future saleability: Enforcement Notices, Overdue Fees, Outstanding Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one near me in Congleton I like with open 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 Congleton for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will be an issue. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agency in Congleton where we see a number of flat sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Congleton conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as 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. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. 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.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder 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 buyer.

I own a split level flat in Congleton, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar properties in Congleton with an extended lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease finishes on 21st October 2085

With just 64 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £15,200 and £17,600 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.