We are due to exchange on the purchase of a house in Sea Mills but as a result of wreckage from the recent storms I have managed to agree reparation from the vendor of £2k in the form of a deduction in the price. This was going to be addressed as part of a side agreement however Santander are not allowing this. Why were they informed?

Your solicitor being on a Santander conveyancing panel is obliged to advise Santander of any changes to the sale price. If you were to refuse your property lawyer to notify the price change to Santander then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Santander and you would have to appoint a new property lawyer for your conveyancing in Sea Mills.

I got the keys to my house on 10 August and the transaction details is not yet registered. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Sea Mills said it should be formalised in less than a month. Are titles in Sea Mills particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in Sea Mills registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timeframes can adjust depending on the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry need to notify any other persons or bodies. Currently roughly 80% of submission are fully dealt with within 12 days but some can be subject to protracted hold-ups. Registration takes place once the new owner has moved in to the premises thus 'speed' is not usually an essential issue yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers could speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a property in Sea Mills before retaining solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. The surveyor advised that some lenders may refuse to issue a mortgage on a flying freehold home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you call us we can investigate further via the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Sea Mills. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Sea Mills especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Sea Mills.

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am disposing of a residence in Newport but I am based in Sea Mills. My lawyer (who is 300 kilometers awayrequires that I execute a stat dec prior to completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Sea Mills to witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Sea Mills based

I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Sea Mills where we have witnessed a few leasehold sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Sea Mills conveyancing solicitors. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having 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 simultaneously with 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 buyer.

I invested in buying a leasehold flat in Sea Mills, conveyancing formalities finalised December 2010. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Sea Mills with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2096

With 71 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 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 a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.