I'm in the process of porting my current residential mortgage to a Buy to Let Platform Home Loans Ltd mortgage. The bank has said that I need a solicitor for this. I spoke to my previous Derby conveyancing firm who dealt with the legals when I first bought the house. The costs illustration they've given of £550 has taken me by surprise as its a refinance than a sale or purchase.

The estimate does seem a tad on the high side. If you shop around you could get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by perhaps a hundred pounds. That being said, if you were satisfied with the legal work the firm gave you maylive to regret opting for an an unknown solicitor. Remember to be sure that the conveyancer can act for Platform Home Loans Ltd. Do make use of our search tool to get a quote a Derby conveyancing firm on the Platform Home Loans Ltd member panel, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Derby.

My colleague suggested that if I am buying in Derby I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Derby conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Derby around the property and the people living there. It includes 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 details, Derby Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Derby.

I opted to have a survey completed on a house in Derby ahead of instructing conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor advised that some lenders may refuse to grant a loan on such a home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Derby. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am hoping to complete next month on a garden flat in Derby. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Derby should include some of the following:

What options are available to the landlord where you have contravened the provisions of the lease? Repair and maintenance of the property Specifying your legal entitlements in relation to common areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease provide for a right of way over a path or hallways? specifics of the parties to the lease, for instance these could be the leaseholder, superior lessor, landlord An explanation concerning the obligations as set out in the lease to to contribute towards maintenance costs - with regard to both the building, and the wider rights a tenant enjoys

I own a garden flat in Derby, conveyancing having been completed 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? Comparable flats in Derby with an extended lease are worth £191,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2075

With just 54 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £32,300 and £37,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

The solicitors handling our conveyancing in Derby has sent documents to review that state the land is unregistered with epitome documents. Surely all houses in Derby should be registered?

It is unusual for premises in Derby to be unregistered. An 'epitome' is basically a dossier of photocopies of documents affecting an unregistered title. Plenty of Derby conveyancing solicitors will be familiar with such matters but in the event that uncertainty reigns the usual proposition presently appears to be for the vendor’s solicitor to register the title first and then sell - this will have a knock on effect to result in a prolonged transaction.