It may have been a long time coming a mortgage offer from HSBC for the remortgage of my 3 bedroom flat is expected imminently. Can you suggest a cheap conveyancing lawyer in Kent?

You are on the wrong site if you are in need of the cheapest conveyancing solicitors in Kent. Our goal is to offer affordable conveyancing but our intention is not to advertise as being the cheapest. Do not be fooled by companies enticing you with low cost conveyancing in Kent. In your best case scenario, in deciding on cheap conveyancing, you will receive what you pay for and at worst it will result in you paying a lot in additional fees and still not get the service expected.

Me and my partner are purchasing a property in Kent. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We are getting the release of further funds on our mortgage from Leeds Building Society as we intend to conduct a loft conversion to our home in Kent. Are we obliged to select a bricks and mortar Kent solicitor on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

Leeds Building Society would not normally instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Leeds Building Society list.

I was told two weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Principality. Is it usual for Principality to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Kent is approved on their conveyancing panel? Principality have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Principality to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Principality conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

five months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Kent concluded. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £170,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Kent. Conveyancing and Barclays mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Kent who previously acted has now retired. What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Kent conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I acquired a ground floor flat in Kent, conveyancing was carried out in 2010. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Kent with over 90 years remaining are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2084

With just 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £20,000 and £23,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Why do Kent conveyancing costs are more expensive for leasehold and freehold properties?

There is always more work necessary for leasehold conveyancing. Kent has many leasehold properties. There is more paperwork involved in the purchase: for example, the lease and leasehold information (including up to date service charge, ground rent and buildings insurance details) obtained from the freeholder or managing agents. There are strict criteria that the lease must meet in order to be acceptable to a mortgage company. If it does not meet these requirements, the lease must be amended, which can involve additional expense for the seller.