I am purchasing a property without a mortgage in Repton. I have lived for the previous Seventeen years in Repton. Conveyancing searches are expensive. As I have knowledge of the road and vicinity very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then all but one or two of the Repton conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your conveyancer will try and sway you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she has a professional duty to do this. Do take into account; if you are intend to dispose of the house at a future date, it will likely be be of interest to your prospective buyer what the searches reveal. Sometimes properties with no practical issues can still throw up detrimental search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Repton will provide you some helpful guidance here.

Do I find a Licenced Conveyancer or Solicitor for conveyancing in Repton?

Two types of professional can perform conveyancing in Repton namely licenced conveyancers or solicitors. The two can provide conveyancing services that you need to complete the sale or purchase of property. Both are obliged to carry out Repton conveyancing to the same quality and guidelines so you can be sure that your conveyancing will be properly administered and that the necessary procedures will be appropriately attended to.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a first time buyer of a garden flat in Repton. Do I pick up the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Repton?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the completion advance to the seller's solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be called to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens early afternoon.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Repton. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. 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.

We are intent on selling our home in Repton and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A high street Repton conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers used a nationwide conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Repton. Having lived in Repton for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Should we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that the buyers are looking for.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer already. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one close by in Repton I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Repton for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

My partner and I may need to rent out our Repton basement flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Repton conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your previous Repton conveyancing solicitor is not around you can check your lease to check if you are permitted to let out the premises. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to obtain consent via your landlord or other appropriate person prior to subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without first obtaining permission. Such consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I own a ground floor flat in Repton, conveyancing was carried out 5 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Repton with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2081

With 56 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.