All was ready to move into my new home in Batley next Tuesday. My conveyancer now wants me to supply her with evidence of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the bank. What risks does the bank expect the insurance to cover?

All property lawyers on acting for lenders 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 Part 2 requirements. These requirements are not specific to conveyancing in Batley.

We are purchasing a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Batley who is on the Kent Reliance approved panel. Can you recommend a local conveyancing firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Kent Reliance . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Batley.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Batley?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Batley. 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…’

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Batley. I happened to stumble across a web site which seems to have the perfect answer If there is a chance to get all formalities done via email that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Batley. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a ground floor flat in Batley, conveyancing was carried out in 1999. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Batley with over 90 years remaining are worth £255,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2099

With just 73 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.