I am considering applying for a mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Kent with 60% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for ?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our house in Kent and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed land that was not decontaminated. A high street Kent conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a nationwide conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Kent. We have lived in Kent for six years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain clarification that the buyers are looking for.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)

I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Kent. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Kent and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.

Am I best advised to go with a Kent conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am buying? An old friend can execute the legal work but her office is 200kilometers drive away.

The benefit of a high street Kent conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to execute documents, present your ID and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local intelligence which is a benefit. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who used your friend and on the whole were impressed that should surpass using an unfamiliar Kent conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being local.

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Kent. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Kent - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Kent Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying

This information is helpful as a) areas could cause problems for the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to have full disclosure You should be aware that where the lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your lender that they are content with remaining years on the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. For most Kentlease extensions you will be required to have been the owner of the property for two years before you are entitled to extend the lease.