My partner’s mother is a solicitor. I suspect that I will be offered mate’s rates for conveyancing, but if not, what level of fees should I be expecting for conveyancing in Lyme Regis?

You should compare pricing. Make use of our search tool on this page. You will notice that estimates will be different but service levels do differ between conveyancers as is the case with the vast majority of professional services.

We're in Lyme Regis, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is HSBC , and our solicitor is on the HSBC conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the HSBC conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Lyme Regis. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

About to purchase maisonette in Lyme Regis. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the HSBC conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Lyme Regis conveyancing practitioner is on the HSBC conveyancing panel.

I have instructed a Lyme Regis conveyancing practitioner having checked that they are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Leeds Building Society will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Leeds Building Society will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Lyme Regis surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Lyme Regis and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to affords security of tenure to business lessees, granting the a statutory right to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of the lease term. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing practices who use the act for protection and handle your commercial conveyancing in Lyme Regis

I work for a reputable estate agency in Lyme Regis where we have witnessed a few flat sales put at risk due to short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local Lyme Regis conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

Lyme Regis Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Is the freehold owned jointly by the leaseholders? The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold reversion is owned by the leaseholders. In this arrangement the lessees benefit from control and although a managing agent is often employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. Does the lease have more than 90 years remaining?