It is 10 years ago since I acquired my property in Cullompton. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been appointed on the sale but I am unable to track down my title documents. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be kept by your lender or they could still be with the solicitor who acted in your purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Cullompton involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it is more problematic but is not insurmountable.

I used Arc property Solicitors several years past for my conveyancing in Cullompton. I now require my papers however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Cullompton 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.

I am buying my first flat in Cullompton benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The sale representative suggested that I not reveal to my lawyer about the deal as it could adversely affect my loan with the bank. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

What makes your site different to alternative online quote calculators when it comes to conveyancing in Cullompton?

At this site secure a conveyancing costs illustration from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that appreciates the nuances for your conveyancing in Cullompton. As opposed to estate agents and brokerage sites we do not have referral deals with solicitors. Many agents and online brokers 'recommend' solicitors who pay the highest commission, not the best value conveyancing in Cullompton

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Cullompton. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I inherited a ground floor flat in Cullompton, conveyancing was carried out in 2004. 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? Equivalent flats in Cullompton with an extended lease are worth £211,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2093

With 68 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.