My wife and I are spending time viewing flats in Sawbridgeworth and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner in place at this stage? I will be getting a home loan with Coventry BS.

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their contact information on to the estate agent. As you are taking out a mortgage with Coventry BS, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Sawbridgeworth. I have a mortgage agreed with Nottingham. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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 Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

Yorkshire BS have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a apartment in Sawbridgeworth has been accepted, now what?

Your property agent will wish to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the conveyancers are on the lender’s approved list). Call up Yorkshire BS or your broker and finish off any appropriate forms. Yorkshire BS will instruct a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to book a time for the valuation to occur. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Yorkshire BS will issue the offer to you and your lawyers. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Sawbridgeworth.

Will commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial estate in Sawbridgeworth?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Sawbridgeworth will carry out a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in sourcing accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Sawbridgeworth. The report sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Sawbridgeworth.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Sawbridgeworth it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Sawbridgeworth commercial conveyancing transactions as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Sawbridgeworth.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Sawbridgeworth. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Sawbridgeworth

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. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

I am selling my home. My former conveyancers have shut. It would be helpful to have a recommendation of a conveyancing firm. Im based in Sawbridgeworth if that makes a difference.

Please use our search tool to help you choose a solicitor for your conveyancing in Sawbridgeworth. We have connected thousands of home buyers and sellers with regulated solicitors to ensure that the legalities of their house move goes smoothly.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Sawbridgeworth. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Sawbridgeworth ?

The majority of houses in Sawbridgeworth are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Sawbridgeworth so you should seriously consider looking for a Sawbridgeworth conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Sawbridgeworth, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Sawbridgeworth with a long lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2090

With only 65 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £13,300 and £15,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.