We are planning to acquire a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Barlaston and Tittensor who is on the Lloyds solicitor panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Lloyds . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Barlaston and Tittensor.

I have been told that property searches are the main reason for obstruction in Barlaston and Tittensor house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the most frequent causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Barlaston and Tittensor.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Barlaston and Tittensor before appointing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. Our surveyor advised that some banks may not grant a loan on a flying freehold property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different requirements from Nationwide. If you contact us we can check with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Barlaston and Tittensor. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Barlaston and Tittensor to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Barlaston and Tittensor from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Barlaston and Tittensor can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ lawyers.
If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where a dispute is unresolved. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than ongoing. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is below 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. A minority of Barlaston and Tittensor leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.

Barlaston and Tittensor Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Its a good idea to discover as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues such as the cleanliness of the common parts. Ask other tenants what they think of them. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that the service fees are due to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money. Is there a share of the freehold? What restrictions are contained in the Barlaston and Tittensor Lease?

My wife and I have appointed a Barlaston and Tittensor conveyancing solicitor for our home move (first time buyers) and have noticed in the Ts and Cs that they are not covered by the FCA. Should I be concerned or is that standard with lawyer?

We can't see why they should be. Most lawyer don't lend money. They will be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who have stringent laws covering amounts held on client account.