It is a dozen years since I purchased my home in Stocksfield. Conveyancing lawyers have now been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate the deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be kept by your lender or they could be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Stocksfield involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

Various internet forums that I have come across warn that are the number one reason for hinderance in Stocksfield house deals. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released conclusions of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the most frequent causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Stocksfield.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our home can not be found. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Stocksfield 4 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?

You no longer need to hold title deeds to establish that you are the owner of your registered land or premises, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £125,000 apartment in Stocksfield on Wednesday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £336 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Stocksfield?

Stocksfield conveyancing on leasehold apartments ordinarily necessitates administration charges raised by landlords agents :

Addressing conveyancing due diligence enquiries Where consent is required before sale in Stocksfield Supplying insurance information Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Stocksfield leasehold premises is £350. For Stocksfield conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply answers.

I purchased a studio flat in Stocksfield, conveyancing was carried out in 1998. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Stocksfield with a long lease are worth £176,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2075

With just 50 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

My husband and I intend to buy our first property in Stocksfield. Conveyancing solicitor already selected. The mortgage adviser suggested that a survey is not necessary as the property is just fifteen years old.

The bare minimum you need a Home Buyer's Report. As the property was constructed more than a decade ago the property will not benefit from a warranty, so you would be well advised not to take a risk. Where a property of this age shows no signs of defects a Home Buyer's report may be enough. They will highlight any apparent problems and recommend additional investigation where appropriate. Where there are any indications of problems get a full Building Survey from the beginning.