We are purchasing a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Torquay who is on the Skipton solicitor panel. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Skipton . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Torquay.

Me and my brother purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian property in Torquay. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Halifax. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should 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 Torquay and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and found one near me in Torquay I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Torquay suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage that many years may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.

I have just started marketing my 2 bed flat in Torquay. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have recently received a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the maintenance contribution as normal because all rents and service invoices will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I purchased a 1st floor flat in Torquay, conveyancing having been completed July 2010. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar properties in Torquay with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2088

With just 62 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £17,100 and £19,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

What type of conveyancing matters do Torquay conveyancing practices handle?

In the main Torquay conveyancing firms will supply a wide spectrum of services to home and land proprietors, sellers, investors, landlords and leaseholders which may include:

Standard residential sale conveyancing in Torquay and beyond House purchase conveyancing in Torquay and countrywide All types of leasehold accommodation including, flats and maisonettes Planning and boundary enquiries Remortgaging including checking title details and obtaining the necessary searches to satisfy your lender Shariah Compliant Islamic Conveyancing