I am purchasing a property without a mortgage in Grove Park. I have been living for the previous Seventeen years in Grove Park. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I know the area and road intimately should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

If you not getting a mortgage, then almost all of the Grove Park conveyancing searches are optional. Your lawyer will 'advise', no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she has a professional duty to do this. One thing to consider; if you are intend to sell the house one day, it will be of importance to your future buyer what the searches disclose. On occasion houses with no practical issues can still reveal unpredicted search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Grove Park should provide you some practical advice concerning this.

I have a decision in principle. The bank mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel solicitor as I would much rather instruct a high street conveyancing solicitor in Grove Park?

Do check but the chances are that give you one of their panel solicitors if you take up the "fee-free" incentive. Contact the bank to determine if they offer you a cash alternative. In the past a few lenders offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Grove Park.

Various web forums that I have come across warn that are the primary cause of stalling in Grove Park conveyancing transactions. Is there any truth in this?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the conclusions of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Grove Park.

I am looking for a flat up to £305k and found one round the corner in Grove Park I like with a park and railway links nearby, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Grove Park suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

Should you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

I own a leasehold flat in Grove Park. Conveyancing and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Grove Park who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Grove Park conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Despite our best endeavours, we have been unsuccessful in seeking a lease extension in Grove Park. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Grove Park conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Grove Park premises is 49 Woodstock Court Burnt Ash Hill in May 2012. the payment of £64,116 by the leaseholder was the premium which the Tribunal found due for the lease extension in this case. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 23.26 years.