I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Saffron Walden off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Nationwide. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Nationwide, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

The mortgage over my property is with Virgin Money for my property in Saffron Walden. Conveyancing was finalised some time ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Virgin Money?

Virgin Money must be informed of your intention in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Virgin Money’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Virgin Money directly. You need not do this via a Virgin Money conveyancing panel firm.

At last I have had an offer on a maisonette in Saffron Walden agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have placed an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Saffron Walden. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with Virgin Money started?

It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Saffron Walden conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Virgin Money approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market some buyers would apply for a home loan with Virgin Money and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their property lawyer to move forward with searches.

I got the keys to my apartment on 11 February and the transaction details are still not registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Saffron Walden said it will be dealt with in less than a month. Are titles in Saffron Walden uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Saffron Walden is concerned, registration is no quicker or slower than anywhere else in the country. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any 3rd persons or bodies. Currently approximately three quarters of such applications are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration is effected after the buyer is living at the premises thus post completion formalities is not always an essential issue yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I'm converting the mortgage on my existing house to a BTL loan with Lloyds TSB Bank and I will use the rest of the raised equity as a down payment on another property. The location we are interested in is Saffron Walden. Will your conveyancers be able to act for the two mortgage companies and link together the conveyances?

Make use of our search tool on this page to check that the conveyancers are on the relevant lender panels. On the basis that they are the conveyancer should be able to tie up the two conveyancing matters but you should have a chat with you conveyancer and specify your desired outcome and needs.

I have just started marketing my garden apartment in Saffron Walden. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, but I have recently had a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as usual given that all ground rent and maintenance payments will be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I invested in buying a 2 bed flat in Saffron Walden, conveyancing was carried out March 2003. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Saffron Walden with over 90 years remaining are worth £179,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2082

You have 57 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £26,600 and £30,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I am in the market for an affordable conveyancing solicitor in Saffron Walden to help me sell my flat. I want to avoid being ripped off but with so many Saffron Walden conveyancing practices to choose from...who's the best?

Where you have not used a conveyancing practitioner before, a personal recommendation through family or friends is a great place to start and is often the best barometer of quality. As an alternative option, take a look at the client references presented on your solicitor’s website or make the most of our search facility to find a conveyancing solicitor in Saffron Walden.