I have given 8 weeks notice to my existing landlord and have to be out of my rented flat in Highnam by 29/4/2026. Conveyancing on my purchase has just started. Is it possible to complete in 5 weeks as I wish to avoid having to find short term accommodation?

The normal practice is not to provide notice on a rental until you have exchanged. Assuming that you have not already done so, update to your conveyancer and ask them to they chase the owners solicitors, try to an acceptable time-line that everyone will aim towards

I am purchasing a new build flat in Highnam. How practical is it for me to do the conveyancing?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Highnam you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Highnam.

My husband and I are FTB’s - agreed a price, but the property agent told us that the vendor will only proceed if we use the agent's chosen solicitors as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family solicitor used to conveyancing in Highnam

We suspect that the owner is not behind this demand. If they desire ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a motivated purchaser is going to damage their objectives. Avoid the agents and go straight to the sellers and explain that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are ready to progress, with finances arranged © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you intend to appoint your own,trusted Highnam conveyancing firm - not the ones that will give the estate agent a commission or hit his conveyancing figures pre-set by corporate headquarters.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Highnam from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Highnam can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers’ conveyancers.
You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Highnam home move. If a new share certificate is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later. If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of 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 better to reveal the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.

I purchased a 2 bed flat in Highnam, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding properties in Highnam with an extended lease are worth £171,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2105

With 79 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

Been reading online that Highnam solicitors are more expensive than Highnam conveyancers in Highnam to use when buying a house. Am I better off using a conveyancer or a solicitor where I am purchasing a property in Highnam.

When it comes to conveyancing in Highnam the costs are unlikely to vary dramatically depending on whether the legal expert is a licenced conveyancer or solicitor.