We instructed a high street firm for my conveyancing in Highnam yesterday. Going through the Terms and Conditions I seeI am responsible for fees even if the dealfalls through. Should I go with them or appoint an internet lawyer advertising no move no charge conveyancing in Highnam?

Generally there is a concession along the lines that if "No Completion No Fee" is advertised then the fee levels will generally be higher to neutralise the conveyances that fail to complete. You should be mindful that such deals rarely protect you from outlay for instance Highnam conveyancing search fees.

Why is leasehold purchase conveyancing in Highnam is more expensive?

In short, leasehold conveyancing in Highnam and elsewhere usually requires extra hours of investigation compared to freehold transactions. This includes analysing the lease terms, liaising with the landlord concerning serving appropriate notices, procuring up-to-date service charge and management information, obtaining the freeholder’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – regardless of the fact the lease has passed through many different property solicitors hands since it was first granted.

We are selling our apartment in Highnam. Does the lawyer have to be on the Barclays conveyancing panel in order to deal with paying off my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the Barclays conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently currently.

I opted to have a survey done on a house in Highnam prior to retaining solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies may refuse to issue a mortgage on this type of premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements from Halifax. If you contact us we can investigate further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Highnam. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement apartment in Highnam. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, however I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the maintenance contribution as usual because all rents and service invoices will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I inherited a 1 bedroom flat in Highnam, conveyancing having been completed in 1996. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Highnam with over 90 years remaining are worth £191,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2079

With only 54 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.