I require expedited conveyancing in Seascale as I have an ultimatum to exchange contracts within one month. A mortgage is not required. Is it possible to decline from having conveyancing searches to save money and time?

If.Given you are are a cash purchaser you are at liberty not to have searches carried out although no lawyer would suggest that you don't. With lots of history conveyancing in Seascale the following are instances of what can crop up and therefore impact future mortgageability: Enforcement Notices, Outstanding Charges, Outstanding Grants, Railway Schemes,...

My wife and I own a semi-detached Edwardian house in Seascale. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and The Mortgage Works. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same address. Is it worth asking The Mortgage Works to clarify?

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Seascale and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Seascale I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Seascale for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the shortness of the lease will be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

How simple is it to use the search facility to select a conveyancing lawyer in Seascale on the panel for my mortgage?

1st choose a lender such as Accord Mortgages Ltd, The Royal Bank of Scotland or TSB then choose your preferred area e.g. Seascale. Conveyancing firms in Seascale and beyond will then be listed.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Seascale. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Seascale who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

First contact HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Seascale conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I invested in buying a basement flat in Seascale, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. 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? Equivalent properties in Seascale with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2085

With only 59 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £20,900 and £24,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" 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 detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.