I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Clayton-le-Moors. I have a mortgage offer with Nottingham. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

About to purchase apartment in Clayton-le-Moors. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the TSB conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Clayton-le-Moors conveyancer is on the TSB conveyancing panel.

I have finally had an offer on a flat in Clayton-le-Moors agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have put an offer on on an apartment, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have selected a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Clayton-le-Moors. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Lloyds started?

It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Clayton-le-Moors conveyancing search costs, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your solicitor is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Regarding the next stages this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market the majority of home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Lloyds and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their solicitor to move forward with searches.

I require expedited conveyancing in Clayton-le-Moors as I am under an ultimatum to complete within 3 weeks. Thankfully I do not need a mortgage. Can I escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

If.Given you are not obtaining a mortgage you are at liberty not to have searches conducted although no lawyer would advise that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Clayton-le-Moors the following are examples of issues that can arise and adversely impact market value: Enforcement Actions, Overdue Fees, Overdue Grants, Road Schemes,...

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Clayton-le-Moors?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Clayton-le-Moors. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Clayton-le-Moors is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Clayton-le-Moors are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Clayton-le-Moors you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Clayton-le-Moors may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Clayton-le-Moors where we see a number of leasehold sales jeopardised as a result of leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Clayton-le-Moors conveyancing firms. Can you clarify whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

I inherited a basement flat in Clayton-le-Moors, conveyancing was carried out in 1998. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Equivalent properties in Clayton-le-Moors with an extended lease are worth £181,000. The ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2076

With only 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.