Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my property can not be found. The solicitors who conducted the conveyancing in Hertfordshire 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my options?

In today’s world there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will be aware precisely where to locate all the appropriate paperwork so you can buy or dispose of your property without a hitch. Where copies can’t be found, your lawyer can arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities against future claims on your premises.

I am buying a new build flat in Hertfordshire. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hertfordshire

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my business property in Hertfordshire and how can you help?

The 1954 Act provides protection to business lessees, granting the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing solicitors who use the act to your advantage and assist with commercial conveyancing in Hertfordshire

I am 17 days into a residential purchase having been directed to conveyancers by the selling agent to perform conveyancing in Hertfordshire. I am am extremely disappointed with the quality of service. Could you you assist me in finding new solicitors?

A conveyancer would have to be very poor to suggest replacing them. Has your mortgage been generated? If so you will need to make them aware of the new lawyer and have the offer are re-sent. Your new solicitor ideally needs to be on the banks approved list to avoid escalating charges and delays. So that should be your first question of the new conveyancers. Our find a solicitor tool should assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Hertfordshire

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Hertfordshire from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Hertfordshire can be reduced if you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information needed by the buyers’ lawyers.
The majority of freeholders or managing agents in Hertfordshire levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Hertfordshire. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the remaining number of years is below 80 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a flat where a dispute is ongoing. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved. If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Hertfordshire leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. Where you dont have the approvals in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer in the first instance.

I purchased a split level flat in Hertfordshire, conveyancing was carried out in 1995. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Hertfordshire with a long lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2078

With 52 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.