It is a dozen years since I acquired my home in St Leonards On Sea. Conveyancing solicitors have just been appointed on the sale but I am unable to locate the title deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be with your mortgage company or they could be archived with the lawyers who handled the purchase. Secondly in all probability the property will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in St Leonards On Sea involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is unregistered it is more of a problem but is resolvable.

I am looking to buy a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in St Leonards On Sea who is on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Bank of Ireland in certain locations such as St Leonards On Sea. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in St Leonards On Sea I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in St Leonards On Sea for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you require a home loan that many years will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

Am I right to be concerned about estate agents that I am dealing with are suggesting an online conveyancing firm rather than a High Street St Leonards On Sea conveyancing company?

As is the case with lots of professional services, often referrals from relatives can be very helpful. Yet there are many players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and lenders may recommend solicitors to retain. On occasion the conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but sometimes there may be a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You have the right to appoint your preferred conveyancer. However, bear in mind that many mortgage providers specify a panel list of conveyancers you have to use for the mortgage related work in your conveyancing.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in St Leonards On Sea. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in St Leonards On Sea are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in St Leonards On Sea in which case you should be shopping around for a St Leonards On Sea conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

I own a studio flat in St Leonards On Sea, conveyancing having been completed in 2006. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in St Leonards On Sea with an extended lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2099

With 75 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.