AssumingI was to buy a simple residential homein Dunstable for cash and have no survey and no conveyancing searches how much should I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Dunstable?

Any savings you would make will be isolated to the Dunstable conveyancing searches. The solicitor is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, liaising with the vendors solicitor, SDLT return, register the ownership etc. A slight saving might be made by not having to register a charge but it won't be significant.

We previously appointed conveyancers based in Dunstable on the Kent Reliance solicitor approved list. They have just billed me an additional amount for handling the Kent Reliance mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Kent Reliance?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Kent Reliance but by your Dunstable solicitor. Some firms on the Kent Reliance panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

My husband and I have arranged the release of further monies on our home loan from Virgin Money as we wish to carry out improvements to our house in Dunstable. Are we obliged to select a high street Dunstable solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Virgin Money do not ordinarily instruct a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Nottingham are being pedantic. The Dunstable solicitor who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Nottingham are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nottingham have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nottingham have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nottingham may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Various online forums that I have come across warn that are a common reason for obstruction in Dunstable conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released conclusions of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Dunstable.

What does commercial conveyancing in Dunstable cover?

Non domestic conveyancing in Dunstable covers a wide array of services, supplied by qualified solicitors, relating to business property. For instance, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of tenancies.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Dunstable which have approximately forty five years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Dunstable is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the marketability of the premises. The majority of buyers and banks, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Dunstable conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I acquired a split level flat in Dunstable, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Dunstable with over 90 years remaining are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2100

You have 76 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as legals.

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 investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.