Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Virgin Money. Tilbury conveyancing solicitors were instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Virgin Money?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Virgin Money done the survey? Have you advised Virgin Money as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Tilbury. My mortgage broker suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £200. Shortly after, the lawyer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance 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.

Co-operative have agreed my home loan in principle, my offer on a apartment in Tilbury has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

The estate agent will want to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the conveyancers are on the lender’s approved list). Call up Co-operative or the financial adviser and finish off any outstanding forms. Co-operative will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to book an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes on average ten days for the mortgage offer to be issued. Co-operative will issue the offer to you and your property lawyers. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Tilbury.

The deeds to my home can not be found. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Tilbury 5 years ago are no longer around. What do I do?

These day there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer should know exactly where to look for all the appropriate paperwork so you can purchase or dispose of your property without any difficulty. If duplicates are not available, your conveyancer may be able to put in place insurance or indemnities against future claims on the premises.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Tilbury ahead of instructing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor advised that some lenders will not grant a loan on this type of home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you contact us we can check with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Tilbury. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am disposing of a house in Monmouth but reside in Tilbury. My lawyer (based 260 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a statutory declaration ahead of completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Tilbury who can attest and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are not likely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Tilbury based

What are the common deficiencies that you see in leases for Tilbury properties?

Leasehold conveyancing in Tilbury is not unique. Most leases are individual and drafting errors can result in certain sections are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the building

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Birmingham Midshires, Leeds Building Society, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

I own a basement flat in Tilbury, conveyancing was carried out April 2009. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding flats in Tilbury with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2076

With just 52 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.