Having sold my house in Springwell last October yet the purchaser is calling me to say her conveyancer is waiting to hear from myconveyancer. What are the post completion sale formalities now that I have sold?

Post completion of your house sale your conveyancer should send the transfer deeds and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your lawyer must also send confirmation that the mortgage has been discharged to the purchasers lawyers. There is unlikely to be post completion formalities specific conveyancing in Springwell.

Do I need to attend the offices of the solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Springwell so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.

These days approved lawyers for banks undertake the vast majority of communications via the post, internet or over phone calls. This means that they can undertake the legal work for your home move no matter where you live in England or Wales. Nevertheless you can see if you can still book an appointment to visit conveyancing lawyer if you prefer.

The deeds to our property are lost. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Springwell 5 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?

Gone are the days when you need to have the physical official documentation to establish that you are the owner of your registered land or property, as the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

How does conveyancing in Springwell differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Springwell contact us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because developers in Springwell usually acquire the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Springwell or who has acted in the same development.

Last February I purchased a leasehold house in Springwell. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Springwell, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Springwell with over 90 years remaining are worth £181,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2076

With 51 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £30,400 and £35,200 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.