It is is a decade since I acquired my property in North Somerset. Conveyancing solicitors have now been appointed on the sale but I am unable to locate my deeds. Will this cause complications?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be retained by the mortgage company or they may still be with the solicitor who oversaw your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in North Somerset involves registered property but in the rare situation where your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

We are planning to buy with Melton Mowbray Building Society. We have called around locally but cant to find a North Somerset conveyancing firm on the Melton Mowbray Building Society panel. Could you assist?

Feel free to take advantage of the find a conveyancing panel solicitor tool on this site. Please choose the lender and type North Somerset or your preferred area and you will discover numerous conveyancers located in North Somerset or by proximity to you.

How does conveyancing in North Somerset differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in North Somerset come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is constructed. This is because new home sellers in North Somerset typically buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in North Somerset or who has acted in the same development.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. North Somerset is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in North Somerset are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside North Somerset you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in North Somerset may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

I only have Sixty One years remaining on my lease in North Somerset. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to track down the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent would be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering North Somerset.

I own a 2 bed flat in North Somerset, conveyancing having been completed 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? Comparable properties in North Somerset with an extended lease are worth £181,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2075

With 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.