I need some quick conveyancing in Barnard Castle as I am under an ultimatum to sign on the dotted line inside 2 weeks. A mortgage is not required. Is it possible to decline from having conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

As you are not taking a home loan you have the choice not to do searches although no law firm would suggest that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Barnard Castle the following are instances of issues that can arise and adversely impact market value: Enforcement Actions, Outstanding Fees, Overdue Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

My wife and I have a semi-detached Victorian property in Barnard Castle. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Alliance & Leicester . I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to review 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 Barnard Castle 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 question the position with your conveyancing practitioner who conducted the conveyancing.

My father-in-law has suggested that I instruct his lawyers for conveyancing in Barnard Castle. Should I use them?

No doubt the best way to choose a conveyancing lawyer is to seek feedback from friends or family who have used the conveyancer you're contemplating using.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £300,000 maisonette in Barnard Castle in six days. The freeholder has quoted £372 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Barnard Castle?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Barnard Castle conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

Completing pre-exchange questions Where consent is required before sale in Barnard Castle Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Barnard Castle leasehold premises is £350. For Barnard Castle conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide the information.

I bought a ground floor flat in Barnard Castle, conveyancing formalities finalised 9 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 Barnard Castle with a long lease are worth £195,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2088

With just 63 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £16,200 and £18,600 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

My husband is purchasing a leasehold property in Barnard Castle. Conveyancing estimates are coming in at around £1700. Is that in the right ballpark?

The average cost last year for conveyancing in Barnard Castle was £1,500 not including SDLT and HM Land Registry fees.