We are buying a flat in Horfield. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We are buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Horfield. Our aim is to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve checks to determine if these works are allowed?

Your property lawyer should check the deeds as conveyancing in Horfield will sometimes identify restrictions in the title deeds which restrict categories of alterations or require the permission of a 3rd party. Many additions need local authority planning permissions and approval in accordance building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

We were going to get a AIP from Santander this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Santander recommend any Horfield solicitors on the Santander conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Horfield solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Santander conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Santander through the process.

I require quick conveyancing in Horfield as I am faced with pressure to complete within 4 weeks. Thankfully I do not require a mortgage. Can I escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are not obtaining a mortgage you have the choice not to have searches carried out although no conveyancer would suggest that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Horfield the following are examples of issues that can arise and therefore impact market value: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Fees, Overdue Grants, Road Schemes,...

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Horfield is the location of the property. Can you offer any opinion?

Flying freeholds in Horfield are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Horfield you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Horfield may determine 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.

Should I be wary about brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use an internet conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Horfield conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of service providers, often input from connections can be worth their weight in gold. Nevertheless there are numerous players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders may put forward solicitors to use. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You have the discretion to select your own lawyer. Don't forget that most mortgage providers operate an approved list of conveyancers you must use for the lender related work in your transaction.

Last October I purchased a leasehold property in Horfield. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I invested in buying a split level flat in Horfield, conveyancing formalities finalised August 2010. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Horfield with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 2101

With just 77 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £7,600 and £8,800 as well as costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.