Me and my partner are about to complete buying a house in Ashford Kent but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have managed to agree recompense from the current proprietors of six thousand pounds by way of a adjustment in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of amending the contract however Leeds Building Society will not permit this. Should they have been approached?

The property lawyer being on the Leeds Building Society approved list is required to disclose to Leeds Building Society of any amendments to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your property lawyer to notify the reduction to Leeds Building Society then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Leeds Building Society and you would have to appoint a new solicitor for your conveyancing in Ashford Kent.

I acquired my house on 9 May and the transaction details is yet to be on the land registry website. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Ashford Kent advises it will be dealt with in a couple of weeks. Are transfers in Ashford Kent particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in Ashford Kent registration is no faster or slower than the rest of England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can differ according to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry have to notify any third persons or bodies. As of today in the region of three quarters of submission are fully addressed within 12 days but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Registration takes place once the buyer is living at the premises therefore an expedited registration is not always primary concern yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

I am purchasing a new build house in Ashford Kent with a mortgage from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. The developers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not disclose to my solicitor about this side-deal as it would impact my mortgage with Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Ashford Kent before retaining lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. The surveyor advised that some banks will refuse to give a loan on this type of premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can check with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Ashford Kent. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Ashford Kent especially if they are accustomed to such properties in Ashford Kent.

I am attracted to a couple of flats in Ashford Kent both have about fifty years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Ashford Kent is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it reduces the salability of the property. The majority of purchasers and mortgage companies, leases with less than 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more positive 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 residence 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 Ashford Kent conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. 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 am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Ashford Kent, conveyancing formalities finalised June 2003. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Ashford Kent with over 90 years remaining are worth £195,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2088

With just 63 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £16,200 and £18,600 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.