My mortgage broker has asked me for my Hurst Green law firm’s panel member for the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I find this out. I have contacted my local Hurst Green office but they don't know it.

Have you tried calling your Hurst Green lawyer about this?. Most Hurst Green conveyancing firms will retain a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each mortgage company.

Our god-son is purchasing a newly built flat in Hurst Green with a mortgage from Skipton. His conveyancer has said that there is a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the purchase. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Skipton conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Skipton conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

I just bought a property at auction in Hurst Green. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Now that you are for in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you will need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner soon as you will have a tight deadline in which to complete the transaction. An auction property should have a corresponding auction set of papers. This will likely include most,if not all of the paperwork that your lawyer requires. If you have purchased leasehold premises the conveyancing pack should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation specific to leasehold premises. You should hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor ASAP. You also need to ensure that your finances are organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

My lawyer has informed me that flying freehold insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Hurst Green conveyancing?

The right level of flying freehold indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Halifax and The Mortgage Works. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in January 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, HSBC are being a right pain. The Hurst Green solicitor who is on the HSBC conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but HSBC are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do HSBC have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that HSBC have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why HSBC may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our property are lost. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Hurst Green 10 years ago are no longer around. What are my options?

Assuming the title is registered the information relating to your ownership will be retained by HMLR under a Title Number. It is possible to conduct a search at the Land Registry, identify your property and secure up to date copies of the property title for a small fee. Where the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will also normally hold a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be ordered for twenty pounds.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Hurst Green both have about fifty years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Hurst Green is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the premises. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with less than 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Hurst Green conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I am the registered owner of a basement flat in Hurst Green, conveyancing having been completed January 2003. 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? Similar properties in Hurst Green with a long lease are worth £255,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2098

With just 73 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.