My lawyer in Esher and Claygate is not on the Birmingham Midshires Approved Panel. Can I still continue with my prefered solicitor even though they are excluded from the Birmingham Midshires approved list?

The limited options available to you here include:

1. Complete the purchase with your existing Esher and Claygate lawyers but Birmingham Midshires will need to instruct a conveyancer on their list of acceptable firms. This will inevitably rack up the overall conveyancing charges as well as result in delays.
2. Find a new lawyer to to deal with the purchase, not forgetting to check they are Persuade your solicitor to use their best endeavours to join the Birmingham Midshires conveyancing panel

I purchased my flat on 6 October and the transaction details is not yet registered. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Esher and Claygate said it would be registered in a couple of weeks. Are properties in Esher and Claygate uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Esher and Claygate registration is no quicker or slower than the rest of England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any other parties. As of today in the region of 80% of such applications are fully addressed in less than three weeks but some can be subject to longer hold-ups. Registration is effected once the purchaser is living at the premises therefore 'speed' is not usually primary concern yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers must speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

Do I need to be wary about estate agents that I am dealing with are recommending a nationwide conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Esher and Claygate conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of professional services, often referrals from relatives can be most helpful. But there are many people with a keen interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders might all put forward solicitors to retain. On occasion the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there exists a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You are at liberty to select your preferred lawyer. Don't forget that many banks have an approved list of law firms you have to use for the lender related work in your conveyancing.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £475,000 maisonette in Esher and Claygate next week. The landlords agents has quoted £384 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Esher and Claygate?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Esher and Claygate conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

Completing pre-contract enquiries Where consent is required before sale in Esher and Claygate Supplying insurance information Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Esher and Claygate leasehold property is £350. For Esher and Claygate conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply the information.

I am the leaseholder of a second floor flat in Esher and Claygate. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium payable for a lease extension?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Esher and Claygate conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Esher and Claygate property is Flat D 15 Claremont Gardens in September 2013. TheTribunal determined in accordance with section48 and Schedule13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease should be fourteen thousand one hundred and eighty seven pounds (£14,187.00) This case related to 1 flat.

I own a leasehold flat in Esher and Claygate. Conveyancing was finalised in 21012. I have read on a number of consumer forums that I mustn’t allow the the remaining lease term to fall too short. Why is that a problem?

Esher and Claygate domestic long term leases are for a prescribed term - often 99 years when they commenced. However many appartments in Esher and Claygate were constructed or converted in the 60’s and so these leases now have fewer than eighty years remaining. That may sound like a long time but Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage institutions generally require leases to have a minimum of 75 years unexpired to be mortgageable. Accordingly when you come to sell the property you will need a lease extension if you are nearing 75 years. To maximise your property value you should be considering whether to extend your lease well in advance of selling the property. There are also advantages to doing so before the lease hits eighty years as when the lease is below 80 years the premium you have to pay to extend starts to get a lot more expensive.