My wife and I are buying a apartment in Saxmundham. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? On the day of competition we have to put money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

If you had a top tip for selecting a conveyancing solicitor in Saxmundham what would it be?

We would encourage you not to go for the lowest Saxmundham conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

It is not clear whether my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have telephoned my Saxmundham building society branch on a couple of occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Saxmundham conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they will not lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?

As long as the property lawyer is on the mortgage company approved list, she or he must adhere to the CML Handbook requirements for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

A friend advised me that where I am purchasing in Saxmundham I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Saxmundham conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Saxmundham around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Saxmundham Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Saxmundham.

What is different about your site and other online quote calculators for conveyancing in Saxmundham?

At this site get a fixed fee quote via a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that understands the nuances for your conveyancing in Saxmundham. Unlike many estate agents and brokerage sites we are not in the business of charging firms a fee if you choose them for your conveyancing in Saxmundham

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Saxmundham conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Saxmundham conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Saxmundham conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be helpful:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason? How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

I bought a 1st floor flat in Saxmundham, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Saxmundham with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2084

With only 58 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £22,800 and £26,400 plus 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 the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

What are my options where I am dissatisfied with the lawyer who undertook my conveyancing in Saxmundham?

Occasionally the level of service you receive is not as you expect, and unfortunately occasionally things do go wrong. That being said there is recourse where you were dissatisfied with your conveyancing in Saxmundham. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a lawyer to their regulator. If you remain aggrieved you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.