The deeds to my home are lost. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Hyde Park 10 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?

You no longer need to hold title deeds to prove you are the registered proprietor of land or property, as the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Hyde Park I like with open areas and station nearby, however it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Hyde Park in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

My step-father has urged me to use his conveyancers in Hyde Park. Do I follow his guidance?

There are no two ways about it the best way to select a conveyancing practitioner is to seek recommendations from friends or relatives who have actually previously instructed the conveyancer you're considering.

Expecting to complete next month on a leasehold property in Hyde Park. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Hyde Park should include some of the following:

Rent payments - what is payable and what the invoice dates are, and also know whether this will change in the future What options are open to you if another tenant in the building is in violation of a provision in their lease? Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat? It needs to be made clear to you whether the lease permits you to add or upgrade aspects of the flat- you must know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of common areas in the building.E.G., does the lease permit a right of way over an accessway or staircase?

I am the registered owner of a 1 bedroom flat in Hyde Park, conveyancing was carried out May 2001. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Hyde Park with a long lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2077

With only 58 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £22,800 and £26,400 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 the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Hyde Park. I I would like to check if they are listed on the bank's approved list of lawyers. Could you assist?

One option is to call your solicitor and ask them if they are on the bank's approved list. If that does not help call us and we can investigate and revert. If they are not on the conveyancing panel we can certainly arrange a reputable conveyancing solicitor in Hyde Park on the panel for your lender.