My wife and I have recently appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Walton on the Hill. I I would like to check if they are on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing panel. Can you advise?

The first thing to do is e-mail the conveyancer and enquire if they can act for the lender. Alternatively you can get in touch with Chelsea Building Society who may be able to help.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Walton on the Hill is the location of the property. Can you offer any advice?

Flying freeholds in Walton on the Hill are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Walton on the Hill you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Walton on the Hill 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 residence.

My husband and I are first time buyers - had an offer accepted, but the property agent advised that the owners will only go ahead if we use their chosen solicitors as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a local solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Walton on the Hill

We suspect that the owner is unaware of this requirement. Should the vendor require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine purchaser is going to damage their objectives. Speak to the owners direct and make the point that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are unencumbered (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you are going to use your own,trusted Walton on the Hill conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a referral fee or hit his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by HQ.

I work for a long established estate agent office in Walton on the Hill where we have witnessed a number of flat sales put at risk as a result of short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Walton on the Hill conveyancing solicitors. Could you confirm whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

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 have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can I make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Walton on the Hill conveyancing firm to assist?

Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Walton on the Hill conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Walton on the Hill residence is 33 The Maisonettes Alberta Avenue in June 2014. the Tribunal decided that the premium payable for the grant of a new lease be the sum of £20,680 (Twenty Thousand six hundred and eighty pounds). This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired term was 60.43 years.

I cannot attend my Walton on the Hill conveyancing practitioners office to sign documents connected to my conveyancing in Walton on the Hill – will this be problematic?

Not a problem. Walton on the Hill conveyancing solicitors can handle home moves for clients throughout the rest of the country. It is not necessary for you to be able to meet your lawyer in the flesh at a Walton on the Hill conveyancers office. They can handle all communications via phone, post and email - whatever works for you.