The vendors of the house we are hoping to buy hired a conveyancing practitioner in Billericay who has recommended a exclusivity contract with a payment two thousand pounds. Are such agreements appropriate for Billericay conveyancing transactions?

There are two primary downsides with entering into any lock out contract (also termed a no-shop agreement) is that it takes away the focus from progressing with the conveyancing work, so in the absence of it needing minimal or no negotiation then it may turn out to be a cause of frustration and delay. It is not particularly popular by Billericay conveyancing practitioners for this reason. The other main issue is the extent of the remedies available - an aggrieved purchaser is extremely unlikely to obtain an injunction to prohibit the vendor selling to a third party, so the only remedy available under the agreement will be the recovery of abortive costs and, in limited scenarios, the additional payment of damages.

I am purchasing a semi-detached house in Billericay. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Billericay you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Billericay.

Me and my brother own a 4 bedroom Edwardian property in Billericay. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Chelsea Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

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 owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Billericay and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Billericay with a mortgage from Chelsea Building Society. The builders refused to move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this deal as it would jeopardize my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Billericay. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I purchased a split level flat in Billericay, conveyancing having been completed in 2010. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Billericay with an extended lease are worth £216,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2093

With only 69 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 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 extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.