My colleague suggested that if I am buying in Covent Garden I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Covent Garden conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Covent Garden around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Covent Garden Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Covent Garden.

Hoping to buy a property located in Covent Garden and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Covent Garden. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Covent Garden area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Covent Garden. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am selling a property in Neath but I am based in Covent Garden. My solicitor (based 250 kilometers awayhas requested that I execute a stat dec before completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Covent Garden who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you should not be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Covent Garden based

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor apartment in Covent Garden. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, however I have recently received a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear the invoice as usual because all ground rent and maintenance invoices should be allotted on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I bought a basement flat in Covent Garden, conveyancing was carried out in 1995. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Covent Garden with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 50

With only 50 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I'm purchasing a apartment in Covent Garden. I have found my conveyancer's company on the CLC list, but I can't locate my conveyancer's name as listed on the regulator's website. Should I be concerned?

Not all staff in the company must be listed by the regulator. Provided there is someone qualified to 'oversee' the work, the actual day-to-day activity can be conducted by unqualified staff.