I am planning to acquire a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in Sutton On Sea who is on the Bank of Ireland approved. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Bank of Ireland in certain locations such as Sutton On Sea. We dont recommend any particular firm.

Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Sutton On Sea. Conveyancing is necessary. What is next?

Now that you are legally committed yourself to purchase you will need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor as a matter of urgency as you now have a pending a fixed date to complete the deal. An auction property will ordinarily have an associated legal set of papers. This will include evidence of title and search results. If you have purchased leasehold premises the auction pack should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You need to give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. Do make sure that your finances are organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

We expect to receive a OIP from UBS this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do UBS recommend any Sutton On Sea solicitors on the UBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

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

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Nottingham are being problematic. The Sutton On Sea solicitor who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Nottingham are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nottingham have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nottingham have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nottingham may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

My wife and I purchased a renovated Victorian property in Sutton On Sea. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Clydesdale. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Sutton On Sea and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my uncle I am selling a property in Newport but reside in Sutton On Sea. My solicitor (approximately 260 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a stat dec prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Sutton On Sea who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Sutton On Sea based

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Sutton On Sea which have approximately fifty years left on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Sutton On Sea is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the salability of the property. For most purchasers and banks, leases with under eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Sutton On Sea conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I acquired a 1st floor flat in Sutton On Sea, conveyancing was carried out in 2006. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Sutton On Sea with a long lease are worth £260,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2100

With just 74 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £8,600 and £9,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.