Recently contacted my conveyancing lawyer in Rottingdean who conducted the legals two years ago requesting a conveyancing costs illustration based on the same type of home move (a leasehold property and a freehold premises) of similar values with a home loan from Chelsea Building Society. I am now being charged twice the amount. Am I right to be tempted to shop around for an alternative property lawyer?

The charges seem a tad high. If you are content to expend time contrasting prices you could get the conveyancing a bit cheaper by say £125. That being said, if you were pleased with the legal work the firm offered you mightcome to rue choosing an an untested conveyancer. Remember to check that the firm can also act for Chelsea Building Society. Do employ our search tool to locate a Rottingdean conveyancing firm on the Chelsea Building Society member panel, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Rottingdean.

Will our solicitor be making enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Rottingdean.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Rottingdean. Some people will purchase a house in Rottingdean, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Lawyers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that may be initiated by the purchaser or by their solicitors which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Rottingdean. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard question of the owner to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the owner, then a purchaser may bring a legal claim for losses as a result of such an incorrect reply. The purchaser’s solicitors should also commission an environmental search. This should reveal if there is any known flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be made.

three months have gone by following my purchase conveyancing in Rottingdean concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £170,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the premises from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I am using a search engine for the term conveyancing in Rottingdean it brings up many property lawyersin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the suitable property lawyer for me?

The best way of seeking a suitable conveyancer is through a trusted recommendation, so seek the opinion of colleagues and relatives who have bought a property in Rottingdean or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Rottingdean vary, so it's sensible to secure a minimum of four estimates from varying types of solicitors. Make sure that you know that the fees are fixed.

I am employed by a reputable estate agent office in Rottingdean where we have witnessed a few flat sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Rottingdean conveyancing firms. Can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I inherited a 2 bed flat in Rottingdean, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Rottingdean with over 90 years remaining are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2081

With only 55 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as 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 comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.