My brother and I have lately bought a house in Branston. We have noticed several issues with the property which we believe were overlooked in the conveyancing searches. Is there anything we can do? Can you clarify the type of searches that needed to have been carried out for conveyancing in Branston?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are unique to conveyancing in Branston. Conveyancing searches and due diligence undertaken as part of the legal transfer of property are supposed to help avoid problems. As part of the process, a property owner completes a questionnaire known as a Seller’s Property Information Form. If the information turns out to be misleading, you could possibly take legal action against the seller for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Branston.

We're in Branston, First time buyers buying with a mortgage (lender is UBS , and our solicitor is on the UBS conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Branston is where the house is located. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Branston are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Branston you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Branston may decide 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 residence.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my uncle I am disposing of a residence in Monmouth but I am based in Branston. My conveyancer (approximately 260 miles awayrequires that I sign a statutory declaration before the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Branston who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Branston

Last August I purchased a leasehold property in Branston. Do I have any liability for 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 owner 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. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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 1 bedroom flat in Branston, conveyancing having been completed July 1997. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Branston with over 90 years remaining are worth £195,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2088

You have 63 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £16,200 and £18,600 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.