We're in Leigh On Sea, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is Co-operative , and our lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I used Stirling Law several years past for my conveyancing in Leigh On Sea. Now, I need my files but the law firm has closed. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Leigh On Sea of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Am I right to be concerned by third parties that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a nationwide conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Leigh On Sea conveyancing practice?

As with lots of professional services, often recommendations from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. But there are lots of players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks might all suggest solicitors to appoint. Sometimes these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but sometimes there might be a financial incentive behind the recommendation. You have the discretion to choose your own lawyer. However, bear in mind that most mortgage providers operate an approved list of solicitors you are obliged to use for the lender related work in your house move.

Is it best to go with a Leigh On Sea conveyancing practitioner based in the vicinity that I am hoping to buy? An old friend can perform the legal formalities but her office is 400miles away.

The primary upside of using a high street Leigh On Sea conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to execute paperwork, deliver your ID and pester them if necessary. Having local Leigh On Sea know how is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust instructed your friend and the majority were impressed that should surpass using an unfamiliar Leigh On Sea conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being local.

I own a leasehold flat in Leigh On Sea. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Leigh On Sea who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Leigh On Sea conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I invested in buying a 1st floor flat in Leigh On Sea, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar flats in Leigh On Sea with a long lease are worth £180,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2083

With just 58 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £21,900 and £25,200 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.