I have given 2 months notice to my current landlord and must vacate my rented apartment in Melbourn by the end of next month. Conveyancing on my purchase has just started. Can I complete in six weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into temporary accommodation?

Generally one should not give notice on a rental until exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not already done so, contact to your lawyer and urge them to they chase the sellers side, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will aim to achieve

I am purchasing a victorian detached house in Melbourn. We would like to an extension at the rear at the house.Will the conveyancing process include investigations to ascertain if these works were previously refused?

Your solicitor will review the deeds as conveyancing in Melbourn will on occasion reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prevent certain alterations or need the permission of another owner. Some works need local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be prudent to check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

I'm the single beneficiary of my late mum's will with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Melbourn. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in February. I want to move. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship could be regarded the same way as though I had purchased the house in February. Is the property unsalable for six months?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook requires conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be impacted by that. Some banks would take a practical view as this provision chiefly exists to identify subsales or the flipping of properties.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Melbourn. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Almost all 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. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. 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.

I am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Melbourn I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Melbourn for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage that many years may be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 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 term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.

Last October I purchased a leasehold flat in Melbourn. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Melbourn, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Melbourn with an extended lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2082

With 59 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £20,900 and £24,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

Are all Melbourn conveyancers on every bank conveyancing panel?

You can use our search tool or you can pop into your local lender branch in Melbourn. the probability is that they can recommend conveyancing solicitors in Melbourn