I am selling my apartment in Godstone. Does the need to be on the conveyancing panel in order to deal with the discharge of my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently currently.

Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Godstone. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Having legally bound yourself to purchase you now have to appoint a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you are faced with a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the property. All auction property should have a bespoke legal pack. This should include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold property the legal pack may provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation specific to a leasehold property. You should give this to the conveyancer instructed by you ASAP. You also need to ensure that you have funds in place to complete on the date specified in the contract.

My wife and I purchasing a end of terrace house in Godstone. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will the conveyancing process include checks to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your conveyancer will check the registered title as conveyancing in Godstone can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which restrict certain changes or need the consent of a 3rd party. Certain additions need local authority planning consent and approval in accordance building regulations. Many locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Godstone. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

I am buying my first flat in Godstone benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The sale representative suggested that I not reveal to my conveyancer about the extras as it may put at risk my mortgage with the lender. 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 have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one near me in Godstone I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Godstone for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage that many years will be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

I bought a 2 bed flat in Godstone, conveyancing having been completed in 1995. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding flats in Godstone with a long lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 50

You have 50 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account 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 seeking the advice of a professional.