Due to complete my purchase in Strood next Thursday. My conveyancing practitioner now wants me to supply her with proof of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the lender. What risks does the mortgage company expect the insurance to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook instructions. These requirements are not specific to conveyancing in Strood.

Me and my partner are purchasing a apartment in Strood. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we will need to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Strood off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Kent Reliance. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use 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 Kent Reliance, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel.

I can not fathom if my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Strood bank branch on various occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they will lend. My Strood conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they would not lend in accordance with their published requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Provided that the solicitor is on the mortgage company panel, she or he must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our home in Strood and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used a web based conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Strood. We have lived in Strood for three years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor already. What do they say? You need to enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same sickness)

In scouring the internet for the phrase cheap conveyancing in Strood it brings up many property lawyersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the right conveyancer for me?

The ideal way of finding a suitable conveyancer is via personal testimonial, so enquire of friends and those you trust who have purchased a property in Strood or a local estate agent or mortgage broker. Charges for conveyancing in Strood vary, so it's advisable to obtain a minimum of three fee calculations from varying types of law firms. Make sure that you know that the fees are fixed.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Strood from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Strood can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
The majority of landlords or Management Companies in Strood levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Strood. If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a new share certificate is often a time consuming process and delays many a Strood home move. If a reissued share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity. Some Strood leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.

I own a ground floor flat in Strood, conveyancing was carried out April 1998. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Strood with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 2095

With only 70 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be 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 extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.