What is the ideal method for identifying a value for money conveyancing in Dorset?

First ask your friends and family who they experienced using in the past and if they were happy with the service.

Second, look on the web for conveyancing in Dorset. Ring two or three from the list and request that they forward you their conveyancing charges and discuss your needs with the solicitor who will handle the conveyancing beforecommitting.

Third is to use this site to help you find the right solicitors taking into account your unique factors including area of the property,timings, complications and who the proposed lender is. Avoid the trap of appointing low cost conveyancing in Dorset

I do hope you can assist me. My Dorset conveyancer is assuring me that he is legally obliged toorder Dorset conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westsolicitor panel. These Dorset searches cost a lot of money can this be avoided?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are obtaining a home loan with a lender your solicitor has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Dorset conveyancing searches.

The deeds to our house can not be found. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Dorset 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?

Assuming you have a registered title the details of your proprietorship will be retained by HMLR with a Title Number. It is easy to execute a search at the Land Registry, find your house and obtain up to date copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. If the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will also normally retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for £20 inclusive of VAT.

I am buying a new build flat in Dorset. Conveyancing is daunting 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 legal work.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Dorset

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. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £375,000 garden flat in Dorset in just under a week. The management company has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Dorset?

Dorset conveyancing on leasehold apartments often involves the buyer’s solicitor sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are at liberty to charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

I acquired a split level flat in Dorset, conveyancing was carried out 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 flats in Dorset with an extended lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2084

With only 60 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £20,000 and £23,000 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.