My partner and I are purchasing a newly built flat in Pitsea and my conveyancer is advising me that she is duty bound to the bank to reveal incentives from the builder. I am on a tight deadline to sign contracts and I have no desire to delay the conveyancing. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your solicitor. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

We're in Pitsea, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is Kent Reliance , and our lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Pitsea is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Pitsea are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Pitsea you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Pitsea may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

Given that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on a two bedroom apartment in Pitsea I would like to have a conversation with the solicitor concerning thehouse move in advance of instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we recommend - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the conveyancer due to be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Pitsea.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is unique individual, not a file number. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in Pitsea should be the figure that you end up paying.

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Pitsea conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Pitsea conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Pitsea conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be helpful:

How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation? Can they put you in touch with clients in Pitsea who can give a testimonial?

I invested in buying a basement flat in Pitsea, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Pitsea with a long lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2081

With 56 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues 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.