I used Wolstenholmes a few years past for my conveyancing in Bedfordshire. I now require my papers however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bedfordshire of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am buying my first flat in Bedfordshire with a mortgage from Virgin Money. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The property agent told me not disclose to my lawyer about this extras as it would adversely affect my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Bedfordshire I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Bedfordshire suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan that many years will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

Planning to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Bedfordshire. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Bedfordshire should include some of the following:

Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring? Alterations to the flat Ground rent - what is due and what the invoice dates are, and also know whether this is subject to change Who has the liability to repair and maintain the main walls and foundations. It is important for you to know which party is liable for the repair and maintenance of all parts of the block and estate What options are open to you if an adjoining owner is in violation of a provision in their lease?

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Bedfordshire, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Bedfordshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2086

You have 61 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

One month into a sale of a flat in Bedfordshire. Conveyancing lawyers are doing their job but we have been asked to pay a fortune from the freeholder. So far we have forked out £275 for a leasehold management pack and then another £118 for answers to questions raised by the buyers solicitor.

You will not have control over the extent of the bill for this information however the average costs for the information for Bedfordshire leasehold premises is £380. For Bedfordshire conveyancing sales it is standard for the owner to cover the charges. The freeholder or their agents are not duty bound to address these questions most will agree to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no legislation that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. There is no prescriptive time frame by which they are obliged to provide the information.