I have a renovated Edwardian property in Ripon. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Halifax. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. Is it worth asking Halifax to clarify?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Ripon and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing practitioner who carried out the work.

How does conveyancing in Ripon differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Ripon come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because house builders in Ripon tend to purchase 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 Ripon or who has acted in the same development.

I opted to have a survey done on a house in Ripon ahead of instructing conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor has said that some lenders tend refuse to issue a loan on a flying freehold house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. If you call us we can check with the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Ripon. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Ripon to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

In scouring the internet for the words cheap conveyancing in Ripon it reveals many conveyancersin the area. How do I determine which is the right solicitor for the sale of my house?

The ideal way of choosing a suitable conveyancer is via trusted referral, so enquire of friends and relatives who have acquired a property in Ripon or a reputable estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in Ripon differ, so it's advisable to obtain a minimum of four fee calculations from different solicitors. Make sure that you clarify that the fees are fixed.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Ripon from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ripon can be reduced where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
Many freeholders or managing agents in Ripon charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ripon. If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Ripon state that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. If you fail to have the paperwork to hand you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance. If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as over rather than unsettled.

I invested in buying a garden flat in Ripon, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Ripon with over 90 years remaining are worth £191,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2077

With just 53 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.