Do conveyancers ask for money on account for my conveyancing in Devon?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Devon your lawyer will ask you place them with monies to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. When the deposit is as part of the total price then this will be asked for immediately prior to exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is needed should be transferred a couple of days prior to the completion date.

My grandmother passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Devon. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Lloyds, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

If you plan to re-mortgage then Lloyds will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Lloyds conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Lloyds mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Me and my brother purchased a terraced Edwardian house in Devon. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Aldermore. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to assess 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 proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Devon and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the position with the conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Devon for my purchase. Is it possible to check a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

Members of the public can see presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations started on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor telephone calls for training purposes.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Devon conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Devon conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Devon conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

Can they put you in touch with clients in Devon who can give a testimonial?

I purchased a 1st floor flat in Devon, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Devon with an extended lease are worth £260,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2100

You have 74 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £8,600 and £9,800 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.