I am selling my flat in Southend On Sea. Does my solicitor have to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their requirements fairly frequently currently.

We had chosen solicitors based in Southend On Sea on the Coventry BS solicitor approved list. They are now charging me an additional charge for dealing with the Coventry BS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Coventry BS?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your property lawyer can levy a fee for this. The fee is not set by Coventry BS but by your Southend On Sea solicitor. Numerous firms on the Coventry BS panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but some practices incorporate it on their overall fee.

I am expecting a DIP from Yorkshire BS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Yorkshire BS recommend any Southend On Sea solicitors on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Southend On Sea solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Yorkshire BS through the process.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Southend On Sea. I have a mortgage agreed with Co-operative. 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 Co-operative, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Southend On Sea is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Southend On Sea are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Southend On Sea you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Southend On Sea may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

My husband and I are new on the property ladder - agreed a price, but the selling agent has warned us that the owners will only go ahead if we instruct the agent's preferred conveyancers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Southend On Sea

It is unlikely the sellers are behind this. If they require ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious purchaser is going to damage their objectives. Contact the vendors directly and make sure they understand (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you do not need to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you intend to use your own,trusted Southend On Sea conveyancing lawyers - rather thanthose that will earn the negotiator at the agency a kickback or meet his conveyancing thresholds set by senior management.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Southend On Sea. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Southend On Sea ?

The majority of houses in Southend On Sea are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Southend On Sea so you should seriously consider looking for a Southend On Sea conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

I acquired a garden flat in Southend On Sea, conveyancing formalities finalised July 1997. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Equivalent flats in Southend On Sea with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2076

You have 52 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt 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 move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.