Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Ruislip Manor costs more?

Ruislip Manor leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Ruislip Manor I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Ruislip Manor for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

I have been pointed in your direction by a couple of local selling agents in Ruislip Manor to choose a conveyancer on your site. What’s the financial upside for Estate Agents to recommend your site rather than a competitor’s?

We refuse to give any financial incentive for sending work in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

As co-executor for the estate of my grandfather I am disposing of a house in Monmouth but live in Ruislip Manor. My conveyancer (who is 260 miles awayrequires that I execute a statutory declaration before the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing lawyer in Ruislip Manor who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Ruislip Manor based

I happen to be an executor of my recently deceased aunt’s Will, with a bungalow in Ruislip Manor which is to be sold. The bungalow is unregistered at HMLR and I'm told that many estate agents will insist that it is done before they'll proceed. What's the procedure for this?

In the situation you refer to it seems prudent to apply to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. The Land Registry’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and certified copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.