I am under pressure from the seller of a property in Par to exchange within four weeks. What can I do to speed up matters?

In the event that the seller is applying a tight deadline for your conveyancing we would recommend that your conveyancer is familiar with the location as they will benefit local contacts and intelligence. It is even conceivable that they could have conducted previoushomes in the same neighbourhood. Therefore consider using a Par conveyancing solicitor. Second, ensure that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is claimed that 18% of Par conveyancing transactions are delayed or jeopardised after discovering a purchaser’s lawyer was not on their banks list of approved solicitors. This can often result in the legal transfer of property being frustrated by an average of 21 days. It is said that this issue affects in the region of one hundred thousand home sales annually. Almost all Par conveyancing practices can not act for certain lenders so do check as early as possible.

Is it the case that all Par solicitor practices on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel are governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?

As solicitors, in order to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many mortgage companies do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the CLC.

I can not work out if my mortgage offer requires a lease extension. I have called my Par bank branch on numerous occasions and was reassured it wasn't an issue and they would lend. My Par conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- called to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

Your lawyer has to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook Part 2 requirements for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

After what feels like an age I have had an offer on an apartment in Par agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on a property, but it’s not been accepted yet, and are looking at other apartments booked. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Par. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Nationwide started?

It is normal to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Par conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you should ensure that your lawyer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Regarding the next steps this very much depends on the circumstances of your transaction, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market some home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Nationwide and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their lawyer to move forward with the conveyancing in Par.

Just bought a semi-detached house in Par , how long will it take for the Land Registry to record the transfer to my name? My Par conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be sure that my name is registered.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Par registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ depending on the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any interested persons or bodies. As of today in the region of three quarters of submission are fully addressed within 12 days but some can be subject to protracted hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the purchaser has moved in to the premises thus 'speed' is not usually primary concern but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Par I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Par for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

Is there an average legal costs for conveyancing in Par?

The average cost last year for conveyancing in Par was £1,500 excluding Land Tax and Land Registry fees.