Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Linslade. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Having legally committed yourself to purchase you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor as a matter of urgency as you are facing a pending a fixed date to complete the property. All auction property should have a bespoke auction pack. This should include most,if not all of the paperwork that your conveyancer will need. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the conveyancing papers should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork relating to leasehold premises. You need to hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that your finances are in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

We previously instructed conveyancers locally in Linslade on the RBS solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me an additional charge for handling the RBS mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by RBS?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your solicitor can levy a fee for this. The charge is not dictated by RBS but by your Linslade conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the RBS panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Linslade. My mortgage broker suggested a conveyancer. I paid an on account payment of £225. Not long after, the property lawyer contacted me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the UBS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the UBS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

What makes your site different to alternative online quote calculators for conveyancing in Linslade?

At this site secure a fixed fee costs illustration via a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that appreciates the nuances for your conveyancing in Linslade. Unlike many estate agents and many comparison sites we do not have referral arrangements with solicitors. A large number of agents and online brokers 'recommend' the firm who pay the highest per referral, as opposed to the best value conveyancing in Linslade

I am looking for a conveyancing practitioner in Linslade for my house move. Is there any facility to check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

Members of the public may review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training requirements.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Linslade both have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Linslade is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with less than 75 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 Linslade 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 am the registered owner of a split level flat in Linslade, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent flats in Linslade with a long lease are worth £211,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2092

With only 68 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

Do I stop the direct debit for my mortgage with Clydesdale once a completion date for my sale in Linslade has been agreed?

You would be well advised to continue paying any mortgage sums to Clydesdale until the mortgage is repaid out of the proceeds of sale as part of your Linslade conveyancing.