Do I need to take out insurance to cover chancel repairs when acquiring a property in Kent?

Unless a previous purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you can take it that solicitors conducting conveyancing in Kent to remain recommending a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I'm buying a new build house in Kent with a loan from Clydesdale. The developers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The sale representative suggested that I not to tell my conveyancer about this extras as it could put at risk my loan with Clydesdale. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

How do I use the search facility to select a conveyancing practitioner in Kent on the panel for my lender?

1st choose a bank such as Nationwide Building Society, The Mortgage Works or Britannia then choose your location a common one being Kent. Conveyancing practices in Kent and further afield will then be identified.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for leasehold conveyancing in Kent. I have chance upon a web site which appears to be the ideal answer If there is a chance to get all this stuff completed via web that would be preferable. Do I need to be wary? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Kent which have in the region of 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Kent. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is generally wise to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field.

I inherited a split level flat in Kent, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar flats in Kent with an extended lease are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2083

With 65 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £13,300 and £15,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.