I am planning on selling our property in Accrington and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any high street Accrington conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers are using an internet conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Accrington. We have lived in Accrington for many years we know that this is a non issue. Should we contact our local Authority to seek clarification need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You should 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 life insurance to cover that same illness)

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Accrington?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Accrington. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

How does conveyancing in Accrington differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Accrington come to us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because developers in Accrington tend to purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Accrington or who has acted in the same development.

My husband and I are novice buyers - had an offer accepted, but the property agent informed us that the seller will only move forward if we use their preferred conveyancers as they want an ‘expedited deal’. We would rather use a family solicitor accustomed to conveyancing in Accrington

It is improbable the vendors are behind this. Should the vendor want ‘a quick sale', turning down a motivated purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Try to communicate with the vendors directly and make the point that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances arranged © you are unencumbered (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you are going to use your own,trusted Accrington conveyancing solicitors - as opposed tothose that will give the estate agent a commission or hit his conveyancing thresholds demanded by head office.

I only have Sixty One years left on my flat in Accrington. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What should I do?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to locate the landlord. On the whole a specialist would be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Accrington.

I am the registered owner of a split level flat in Accrington, conveyancing having been completed in 1995. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Accrington with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 50

You have 50 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information 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.