I am being advised by my conveyancer that lack of planning permission insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Harleston?

The appropriate level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between National Westminster Bank and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Coventry BS, do Harleston conveyancing practitioners incur an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

How can we tell if a Harleston conveyancing solicitor on the HSBC panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Harleston getting recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your conveyancing.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Edwardian property in Harleston. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and TSB. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Harleston and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my grandmother I am selling a residence in Cardiff but live in Harleston. My conveyancer (who is 235 miles from meneeds me to sign a stat dec ahead of completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing practitioner in Harleston to attest and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you should not be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Harleston based

I am employed by a busy estate agent office in Harleston where we see a few leasehold sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Harleston conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can start the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I am the registered owner of a studio flat in Harleston, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Harleston with over 90 years remaining are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2080

With 55 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

What should I expect to pay for conveyancing in Harleston?

The amount you are levied for conveyancing in Harleston can vary considerably from company to company. Given these differences it all the more important that you find this out before you appoint a lawyer. You should also consider asking a couple fee estimate.