There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Gloucestershire but how do I know who I should use?

It would be unwise to be swayed by the cheapest Gloucestershire conveyancing quote. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. 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 the single recipient of my late grandmother’s estate and I have everything in my name now, including the house in Gloucestershire. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in December. I plan to dispose of the property. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', which means that my property ownership could be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the property in December. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook obliges solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be affected by that. many lenders would take a pragmatic view as this obligation is primarily there to pick up on subsales or the quick reselling of properties.

Is there a list of UBS panel solicitors in Gloucestershire on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lending institutions make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Gloucestershire solicitor on the UBS please make the most of our facility.

My wife and I own a terraced Edwardian property in Gloucestershire. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and National Westminster Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. Is it worth asking National Westminster Bank to clarify?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Gloucestershire and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.

I am buying a new build apartment in Gloucestershire. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Gloucestershire

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor apartment in Gloucestershire. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you clear the invoice as usual because all ground rent and service invoices should be allotted on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I acquired a split level flat in Gloucestershire, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Gloucestershire with a long lease are worth £227,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2097

With only 72 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide 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 want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

What type of premises does your Gloucestershire conveyancing estimates apply to?

The quotes provided are only applicable to standard residential property in England & Wales. If you have any different needs for instance industrial or agricultural land or commercial conveyancing in Gloucestershire you should telephone us to address this further .