I have an AIP. The lender mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to appoint their panel solicitor as I would prefer to use a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Sonning Common?

Do check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel lawyers should you want the "fee-free" incentive. Contact the lender and ask if they make available a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor in Sonning Common.

I was pointed in your direction by a couple of local estate agents in Sonning Common to get a quote from a conveyancer on your site. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to market your lawyers over and above another?

We refuse to give any commission for directing people to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee because a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

My husband and I are four weeks into a residential purchase having been directed to conveyancers by the local agent to carry out the conveyancing in Sonning Common. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new solicitors?

They would need to be really bad to suggest changing them. Has the loan offer been generated? If so you must advise them of the replacement solicitor and get the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your new conveyancer should be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating charges and complications. That should be your starting point. Our search tool can help you find a lender approved lawyer for your conveyancing in Sonning Common

I am attracted to a two flats in Sonning Common which have about forty five years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Sonning Common is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it reduces the value of the property. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with under eighty years become less and less attractive. 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 property 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 Sonning Common 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. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. 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 purchased a garden flat in Sonning Common, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Sonning Common with an extended lease are worth £176,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2106

You have 80 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £7,600 and £8,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

We yesterday found out that one of the partners of the firm handling the purchase conveyancing in Sonning Common is an uncle of the seller. Is this acceptable?

On the basis that no conflict arises this is permitted. Where you are obtaining a mortgage then the lender may have a say as many banks have specific requirements on this. For example for RBS - Virgin One as of 17/1/2026, the requirements read as follows :