In the event thatI were to buy a straightforward homein Esher mortgage fee and have no survey and no conveyancing searches how much would I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Esher?

Any savings you would make would be limited to the disbursement for searches. A lawyer is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, communicating with the sellers lawyer, stamp duty submission, register the property etc. A marginal saving might be made by not having to register a charge but it will not be significant.

If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Esher what would it be?

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Esher conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Esher. I have a mortgage agreed with Co-operative. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.

I can not fathom if my lender requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Esher building society branch on a couple of occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Esher conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called and was told they would not lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

Your property lawyer has to comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 provisions for your bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

Will our lawyer be making enquiries regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Esher.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers dealing with homes in Esher. There are those who buy a property in Esher, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various searches that can be carried out by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Esher. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual question of the vendor to determine if the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the seller, then a buyer may bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading answer. The purchaser’s solicitors will also commission an enviro search. This will higlight whether there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed investigations will need to be carried out.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Esher. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before 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. A critical element 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 have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can I apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Esher conveyancing firm to help?

Where there is a missing freeholder or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant legislation you can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to calculate the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Esher flat is Flat D 15 Claremont Gardens in September 2013. TheTribunal determined in accordance with section48 and Schedule13 of the Leasehold Reform,Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 that the premium for the extended lease should be fourteen thousand one hundred and eighty seven pounds (£14,187.00) This case related to 1 flat.

I note that you have a post code search directory identifying solicitors on the lender conveyancing panel. Do Esher conveyancing firms pay you a commission if I retain them for my conveyancing?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to the any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Esher.