Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Chobham is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Chobham are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Chobham you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Chobham may determine 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 premises.

Taking into account that I am about to spend £400,000 on 3 bedroom house in Chobham I wish to talk to a lawyer about myhouse move prior to appointing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

Absolutely - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the solicitor who will be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Chobham.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important person, not a case number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Chobham should be the figure that you are charged.

I am using a search engine for the phrase on line conveyancing in Chobham it brings up numerous solicitorsin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the suitable conveyancing solicitor for the sale of my house?

The best way of seeking a suitable conveyancer is via personal referral, so enquire of friends and family who have bought a property in Chobham or a respected estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Chobham differ, so it's sensible to request a minimum of four fee estimates from different property lawyers. Be sure to secure confirmation that the charges are assured not to to be inflated.

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Chobham both have approximately fifty years left on the leases. should I be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena.

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Chobham, conveyancing having been completed in 2009. 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 Chobham with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease expires on 21st October 2095

With only 70 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Our lawyer in Chobham has discovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the flat we are buying in Chobham. The seller’s lawyers have put forward title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that as he is on the lender conveyancing panel he must ensure that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. A precondition to being on the mortgage company approved panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.