IfI were to purchase a simple residential housein Rayners Lane for cash and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much would I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Rayners Lane?

The only saving you would make on is the Rayners Lane conveyancing searches. The lawyer still got to do everything else - money laundering, liaising with your sellers lawyer, SDLT submission, register the ownership etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage however it won't be significant.

A friend advised me that if I am purchasing in Rayners Lane I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Rayners Lane conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Rayners Lane around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Rayners Lane.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years past for my conveyancing in Rayners Lane. Now, I need my files but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Rayners Lane of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Rayners Lane. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Rayners Lane

The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared.

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Rayners Lane. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Rayners Lane ?

The majority of houses in Rayners Lane are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Rayners Lane so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Rayners Lane conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such issues? Can you recommend a Rayners Lane conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

if there is a absentee freeholder or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the LVT to decide the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Rayners Lane property is GFF 1 Holyrood Avenue in May 2014. The Tenant wished to acquire a new (extended) lease and applied to the Willesden County Court who granted a vesting order on 20* March2013. The Tribunal decied that the premium to be paid was £9,062 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 79 years.