I am acquiring a house for cash in Cambourne. I have been living for the previous 15 years in Cambourne. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the road and vicinity very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a home loan, then all but one or two of the Cambourne conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your solicitor will 'advise', no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but he is duty bound to do this. Do bear in mind; if you are going to dispose of the house one day, it could be of interest to your prospective buyer what the searches determine. Sometimes properties with apparent issues can still throw up adverse search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Cambourne will provide you some practical advice in this regard.

I own a freehold house in Cambourne yet pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Cambourne and has limited impact for conveyancing in Cambourne but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for freehold conveyancing in Cambourne. I've discover a web site which appears to be the perfect answer If there is a chance to get all this stuff completed via web that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

What are the frequently found defects that you encounter in leases for Cambourne properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Cambourne. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can result in certain sections are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the property

You could have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Santander, Chelsea Building Society, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

I invested in buying a ground floor flat in Cambourne, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1995. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Cambourne with a long lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2079

You have 55 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £31,400 and £36,200 plus legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should 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 want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I am an executor of my recently deceased aunt’s Will, with a house in Cambourne which will be sold. The bungalow is unregistered at the Land Registry and I'm advised that some EAs will insist that it is done before they will proceed. What's the mechanism for this?

In the circumstances you refer to it seems sensible to apply to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. HMLR’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and certified copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.