My partner and I are purchasing our first house. Our conveyancing practitioner has contact usto ask if we want to purchase extra conveyancing searches. As novices we are clueless as to what's necessary for conveyancing in High Wycombe

The extent of High Wycombe conveyancing searches depends entirely on the property, the location, the probability of any of these risks, your familiarity of the locality and risks, your general appetite to risk. What matters is that you adequately understand what information the searches could supply. You may then make a decision if you consider that you need that search. If in doubt, ask your conveyancing practitioner to provide guidance.

My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in High Wycombe. I I am struggling to find out if they are on the Virgin Money approved list of lawyers. Could you assist?

The first thing to do is phone your solicitor and enquire whether they can act for the lender. Otherwise you should call Virgin Money who may be able to assist.

Should our lawyer be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in High Wycombe.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in High Wycombe. There are those who acquire a house in High Wycombe, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will figure out the risks in High Wycombe. The standard information given to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the seller to find out whether the property has historically flooded. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not notified by the vendor, then a buyer may commence a legal claim for losses resulting from an inaccurate answer. A buyer’s conveyancers will also carry out an enviro search. This should disclose whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be carried out.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and identified one round the corner in High Wycombe I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in High Wycombe in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you require a mortgage that many years will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £300,000 apartment in High Wycombe in just under a week. The managing agents has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in High Wycombe?

High Wycombe conveyancing on leasehold flats nine out of ten times results in administration charges raised by management companies :

Answering pre-contract questions Where consent is required before sale in High Wycombe Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for High Wycombe leasehold premises is £350. For High Wycombe conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply answers.

I own a split level flat in High Wycombe, conveyancing having been completed 4 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in High Wycombe with over 90 years remaining are worth £211,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2090

You have 67 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £10,500 and £12,000 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 a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.