I am need of leasehold conveyancing for a flat in a fairly new development (6 years built) in Hebden Bridge. Almost all the flats have already been disposed of. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches for my conveyancing in Hebden Bridge?

If you are purchasing a property with the assistance of a mortgage, your bank will require some (many) of the searches so you'll have no choice. If not, then Hebden Bridge conveyancing searches are for you to decide upon. No doubt your conveyancer, will ’encourage’, perhaps strongly, that you should have the searches done, but he or she has a professional duty to do this. One thing to bear in mind; if you are likely to sell the house one day, it may be of interest to your future buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes houses with no practical issues can still throw up adverse search results. But if you choose to instruct your lawyer to proceed without searches then your lawyer will have to follow your instructions or ask you to appoint a different lawyer for your conveyancing in Hebden Bridge.

I have been told that property searches are a common cause of hinderance in Hebden Bridge house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to feature in any delay in conveyancing in Hebden Bridge.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a property in Hebden Bridge before appointing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor has said that some banks may refuse to grant a mortgage on such a house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions from Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Hebden Bridge. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Hebden Bridge which have about fifty years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Hebden Bridge. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field.

I bought a split level flat in Hebden Bridge, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1997. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Hebden Bridge with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2086

With just 61 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £19,000 and £22,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

What do I do if I am unhappy with the conveyancer who carried out our conveyancing in Hebden Bridge?

We live in an imperfect world, and is is a fact of life that occasionally things do go wrong. That being said there is recourse if you were unhappy with your conveyancing in Hebden Bridge. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a conveyancing practitioner to their governing body. If you remain unhappy you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.