My wife and I purchased a renovated Georgian property in Hertfordshire. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Hertfordshire and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Hertfordshire is where the house is located. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Hertfordshire are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Hertfordshire you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Hertfordshire may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

I'm refinancing my current house to a buy to let mortgage with and I will use the rest of the raised equity as a deposit on another house. The area we are talking about is Hertfordshire. Will your solicitors be able to act for both sets of mortgage companies and link together the conveyances?

Make use of our search tool on this page to be sure that the solicitors are on the appropriate lender panels. Having checked that they are your lawyer should be able to simultaneously deal with the two transactions but you should talk with you solicitor and specify your desired outcome and requirements.

In surfing the web for the term on line conveyancing in Hertfordshire it reveals many conveyancersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancing solicitor for purchase transaction?

The best way of seeking the right conveyancer is via trusted referral, so seek the opinion of colleagues and family who have purchased a property in Hertfordshire or a local estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Hertfordshire differ, so it's advisable to secure a minimum of three quotes from varying types of conveyancers. Dont forget to clarify what costs in the quote includes.

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Hertfordshire. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, however I have recently received a half-yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the invoice as you normally would because all rents and service invoices will be apportioned on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Hertfordshire, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Hertfordshire with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 50

With 50 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as 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 extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.