There is lots of here regarding conveyancing in Fenham but what is your top tip for finding the right conveyancer in Fenham

It would be unwise to be tempted by the lowest Fenham conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.

I just bought a house at auction in Fenham. Conveyancing is required. What are my next steps?

Given that you are now exchanged you will need to retain a conveyancing lawyer soon as you now have a tight a fixed date to complete the deal. Every auction property should have a bespoke legal pack. This should include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the legal pack should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You need to give this to the conveyancer instructed by you at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that your finances are organised to complete on the date specified in the contract.

We were going to get a DIP from Clydesdale this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Clydesdale recommend any Fenham solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Fenham solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Clydesdale through the process.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Fenham?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Fenham. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I am buying my first flat in Fenham with a mortgage from Clydesdale. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The house builders rep told me not reveal to my solicitor about the deal as it could affect my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Fenham is where the house is located. Can you offer any advice?

Flying freeholds in Fenham are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Fenham you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Fenham may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I am looking at a two apartments in Fenham which have approximately 50 years remaining on the leases. should I be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Fenham is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the salability of the property. The majority of purchasers and lenders, leases with less than eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Fenham conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I acquired a 1st floor flat in Fenham, conveyancing having been completed July 2010. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Fenham with a long lease are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2077

With only 53 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.