I opted for a Yelverton based firm for our conveyancing in Yelverton yesterday. Going through the fine print I seeI am responsible for fees even if the sale doesn't happen. Would I be best advised to choose an on-line solicitor practice promoting no completion no cost conveyancing in Yelverton?

Generally there is a concession along the lines that if "No Sale No Fee" is advertised then the conveyancing charges will tend to be be more expensive to counteract the transactions that do not go ahead. Please beware that these arrangements tend not to cover outlay e.g. Yelverton conveyancing search costs.

My wife and I are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our house in Yelverton and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was constructed on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers used an internet conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Yelverton. We have lived in Yelverton for many years we know that this is a non issue. Should we contact our local Authority to seek clarification that the buyers are looking for.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer already. What do they say? You need to check with 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 health insurance to cover that same ailment)

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Yelverton is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Yelverton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Yelverton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Yelverton may ascertain 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 property.

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Yelverton which have in the region of 50 years left on the leases. should I be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Yelverton is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the premises. For most purchasers and banks, leases with less than eighty years become less and less marketable. 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 a property 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 Yelverton conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new 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 am the registered owner of a studio flat in Yelverton, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar flats in Yelverton with a long lease are worth £221,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2096

With just 70 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

Are all Yelverton law firms on every lender conveyancing panel?

The Lexsure search tool on this page may be of use or you can pop into your high street bank branch in Yelverton. Chances are that they will be in a position to list some approved conveyancing solicitors in Yelverton