The deeds to our property can not be found. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in St Albans 4 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

You no longer need to have the physical official documentation to prove you are the registered proprietor of land or premises, given that the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. St Albans is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in St Albans are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside St Albans you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in St Albans may decide 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 property.

I am looking to sell my house. My previous lawyers have shut. I am in need of a recommendation of a conveyancing firm. I happen to live in St Albans if that makes a difference.

Do use our search tool to help you choose a solicitor for your conveyancing in St Albans. We have connected thousands of home buyers and sellers with lender approved solicitors to ensure that the legalities of their house move runs with a minimum of fuss.

In scouring the world wide web for the phrase conveyancing in St Albans it brings up numerous property lawyersin the area. How do I determine which is the right property lawyer for the sale of my house?

The best way of seeking the right conveyancer is through a trusted referral, so enquire of colleagues and relatives who have bought a property in St Albans or the respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in St Albans vary, so it's advisable to secure at least three fee estimates from different solicitors. Make sure that you clarify what costs in the quote includes.

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agent office in St Albans where we see a few leasehold sales derailed as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local St Albans conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can start the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder 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 bought a basement flat in St Albans, conveyancing having been completed 9 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in St Albans with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2086

You have 61 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £19,000 and £22,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.