IfI was to buy a simple residential propertyin Heathfield for cash and dispense with a survey and no conveyancing searches how much could I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Heathfield?

Any savings you would make will be isolated to the disbursement for searches. A conveyancer still be obliged to do everything else - money laundering, correspond with the sellers solicitor, SDLT return, register the property etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a charge however it won't be meaningful.

Me and my brother have a 4 bedroom Edwardian house in Heathfield. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and National Westminster Bank. 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 with the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Heathfield and other areas of 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 situation with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the purchase.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Heathfield is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Heathfield are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Heathfield 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 Heathfield 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 property.

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am selling a property in Cardiff but reside in Heathfield. My solicitor (based 250 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a stat dec ahead of completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Heathfield who can attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you should not be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Heathfield based

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agent office in Heathfield where we have witnessed a few flat sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Heathfield conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord 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 inherited a 2 bed flat in Heathfield, conveyancing having been completed in 1999. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Heathfield with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease expires on 21st October 2081

With only 56 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £29,500 and £34,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive 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. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.