It is 10 years ago since I purchased my property in Huntingdon. Conveyancing solicitors have just been appointed on the sale but I can't locate the deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be retained by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who handled the purchase. Secondly in most cases the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Huntingdon relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

Should our conveyancer be raising enquiries about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Huntingdon.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers conducting conveyancing in Huntingdon. Plenty of people will acquire a property in Huntingdon, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of checks that can be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which should figure out the risks in Huntingdon. The standard completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard question of the vendor to determine if the premises has ever been flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the seller, then a purchaser could issue a claim for damages as a result of such an inaccurate reply. The purchaser’s lawyers should also conduct an enviro search. This will disclose if there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be carried out.

What does commercial conveyancing in Huntingdon cover?

Huntingdon conveyancing for business premises covers a broad range of advice, provided by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. By way of example, this area of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of tenancies.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to let out our Huntingdon basement flat for a while due to a new job. We instructed a Huntingdon conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

The lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will say if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Huntingdon do not contain subletting altogether – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.

I acquired a 1st floor flat in Huntingdon, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar properties in Huntingdon with an extended lease are worth £181,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2077

With just 51 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £30,400 and £35,200 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

Why do Huntingdon conveyancing charges are higher for leasehold and freehold properties?

Leasehold conveyancing in Huntingdon will often involve additional work such as reviewing the lease, liaising with the landlord, obtaining up to date rent receipts, landlord’s consents, management company’s accounts etc.