How up to date is your database of St Johns solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel? Do Clydesdale send you an updated list?

St Johns conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Clydesdale directly.

I got the keys to my apartment on 2 September and my personal details is not yet on the land registry website. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in St Johns advises it should be formalised in a couple of weeks. Are titles in St Johns particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in St Johns is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ subject to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any 3rd parties. As of today in the region of 80% of submission are fully dealt with within 12 days but some can be subject to longer hold-ups. Registration occurs once the purchaser is living at the premises therefore an expedited registration is not usually an essential issue yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

How does conveyancing in St Johns differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in St Johns contact us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is constructed. This is because builders in St Johns usually acquire the real estate, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in St Johns or who has acted in the same development.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a St Johns conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a St Johns conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non St Johns conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be of use:

What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing? How many lease extensions have they carried out in St Johns in the last year?

I own a two-bedroom flat in St Johns. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount due for a lease extension?

in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to calculate the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a St Johns premises is 73 Walerand Road in August 2012. the result of the findings of the Tribunal led to a premium to be paid for the extended lease in respect of Flat 73 in the sum of £10,040. The premium applicable in respect of Flat 85 was £5,710. This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 72 years.

My husband and I accepted an offer on a St Johns bungalow left to us 5 years ago in 2009. I have over a decades worth of conveyancing experience and, although retired, wish to undertake my own legal work. The buyer's lawyer has informed me that their building society will not allow you to do your own conveyancing requiring the funds to be released via a solicitor's bank account.

Lending instructions to solicitors from all CML members state that If the seller does not have legal representation the borrower's lawyers should check whether the mortgage company needs to be told so that a decision can be made as to whether they are willing to progress.