We are planning to acquire a house and require a conveyancing solicitor in West Smithfield who is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a 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 Kent Reliance . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in West Smithfield.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one close by in West Smithfield I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in West Smithfield suitable, 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 be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

What makes your site different to alternative online quote calculators when it comes to conveyancing in West Smithfield?

At this site secure a conveyancing quote from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that understands the issues of your conveyancing in West Smithfield. As opposed to estate agents and brokerage sites we do not have commission arrangements with solicitors. Many agents and online brokers 'recommend' the firm paying the most kickback, not the best value conveyancing in West Smithfield

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in West Smithfield for my house move. Is there any facility to check a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

Members of the public can read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training requirements.

I am looking at a two flats in West Smithfield which have approximately fifty years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in West Smithfield is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the value of the property. For most buyers and banks, leases with under 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with West Smithfield conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can I apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a West Smithfield conveyancing firm to assist?

in cases where there is a absentee freeholder or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to decide the sum to be paid.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a West Smithfield flat is Flat 89 Trinity Court Grays Inn Road in February 2013. the Tribunal found that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 to the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 should be £36,229. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 66.8 years.