It is 10 years ago since I acquired my house in Hurst Green. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been instructed on the sale but I can't track down the deeds. Will this cause complications?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be with your lender or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who handled the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Hurst Green relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more problematic but is not insurmountable.

There are plenty of conveyancing solicitors in Hurst Green but how do I know who I should use?

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Hurst Green conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I am helping my step-mother sell her flat in Hurst Green. Does the conveyancer commission an energy assessment or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates was retained a mandatory part of moving house. An energy performance certificate should be commissioned prior to the property being advertised. This is not something that law firms normally organise. If you are using a Hurst Green conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange energy assessments given their relationships with long established local energy assessors

I have finally had an offer on an apartment in Hurst Green agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on on an apartment, however it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Hurst Green. What do I do now? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with ?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then survey, Hurst Green conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you should check that your is on the approved list. Concerning the next stages this very much depends on the uniqueness of your case, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market some purchasers will apply for a home loan with and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their to proceed with searches.

What does a local search inform me concerning the house we're buying in Hurst Green?

Hurst Green conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for instance Onsearch The local search is essential in every Hurst Green conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search should provide data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic sections.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Hurst Green for my home move. Is there any facility to check a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

One can read presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes recorded call for training purposes.

There are only Fifty years unexpired on my flat in Hurst Green. I now want to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the lessor. In some cases a specialist should be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Hurst Green.

I am the registered owner of a ground floor flat in Hurst Green, conveyancing formalities finalised 1995. 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? Comparable flats in Hurst Green with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 50

With only 50 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.