Recently contacted my conveyancing solicitor in Cranfield who conducted the legals two years ago requesting a conveyancing estimate based on an identical type of house sale & purchase (a leasehold premises and a freehold premises) of similar values with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. It looks as though am now being charged double. Am I right to be tempted to shop around for a cheaper internet conveyancer?

The costs illustration is fractionally on the high side. Where you are happy to invest time comparing charges you may be able to shave off some of the expense by say a hundred pounds. That being said, assuming were satisfied with the conveyancing the firm gave you maylive to regret opting for an an untested solicitor. Remember to check the conveyancer can also act for Leeds Building Society. Do employ our search tool to get a quote a Cranfield conveyancing firm on the Leeds Building Society approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Cranfield.

What happens if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Aldermore Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Cranfield?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

I purchased a renovated Victorian house in Cranfield. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Nationwide Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Cranfield and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.

I am buying a new build house in Cranfield with a mortgage from Virgin Money. The builders would not reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent told me not disclose to my conveyancer about the deal as it could affect my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Cranfield conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Cranfield conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Cranfield conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:

How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation? What are the charges for lease extension work?

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Cranfield, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2000. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Cranfield with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2096

With only 71 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered 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.