The solicitor who assisted with my last purchase has quoted £995 for no sale no fee conveyancing in Northumberland. I’m hoping to downsize from a Georgian property for £225,000. Are the quoted fees excessive? Is it above the average fee for conveyancing in Northumberland?

The quote is slightly on the expensive side. If you are prepared to invest time contrasting quotes you could get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by say £125. On the other hand, you maylive to regret choosing an a cheaper solicitor. If is important to be sure that the solicitor can represent your bank. You can use our search tool to find a Northumberland conveyancing company on the lender’s approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Northumberland.

We have very assertive vendors who has suggested a preliminary agreement with a non-refundable deposit two thousand pounds. Are such arrangements the norm for Northumberland conveyancing transactions?

There are two primary drawbacks with executing a lock out agreement (also referred to as an exclusivity agreement) is that it can distract from moving forward with the conveyancing process, so unless it requires limited or no negotiation then it could transpire to be a cause of frustration and delay. It is not promoted by Northumberland conveyancing lawyers for this reason. The other main issue is the extent of the remedies available - an aggrieved buyer should not expect to win an injunction to prevent the owner selling to another buyer, so the only remedy open via the contract will be the recovery of abortive charges and, in rare circumstances, the extra payment of damages.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal impending roadworks that may affect a commercial site in Northumberland?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Northumberland will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers expend in sourcing accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Northumberland. The search result provides definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Northumberland.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Northumberland it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could cause delays to Northumberland commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Northumberland.

I have been recommended by a number of estate agents in Northumberland to get a quote from a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your services ahead of a competitor’s?

We don’t offer any referral fee for sending work to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Northumberland. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they report fully next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Northumberland should include some of the following:

Repair and maintenance of the premises Does the lease prevent you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business The landlord’s rights to access the premises. You should be made aware that your landlord has rights of access as well as be informed how much notice must be provided. What remedies are open the freeholder should you breach a clause of your lease? What you can do if another leaseholder in the building breaches a clause of their lease?

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Northumberland, 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? Corresponding properties in Northumberland with an extended lease are worth £195,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2089

With only 64 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £14,300 and £16,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.