My husband and I are looking to acquire a house in Birtley and are in fact using a Birtley conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Clydesdale have this morning contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Birtley solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?

If you are buying a property needing a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Birtley lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

About to place an offer on a leasehold apartment in Birtley. The selling agents tell me that it is standard for flats in Birtley to have less than 75 years unexpired on the lease. I am expecting a loan with Tesco Bank. Will the property be mortgageable given that the lease has Seventy One years left.

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Tesco Bank have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 3/5/2024 the requirements read as follows :

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Birtley?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Birtley. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

In surfing the internet for the term cheap conveyancing in Birtley it brings up numerous conveyancerslocally. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right conveyancer for my move?

The best method of seeking the right conveyancer is through a personal testimonial, so seek the counsel of colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Birtley or the respected estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Birtley vary, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of three quotes from varying types of conveyancers. Be sure to secure confirmation that the costs are assured not to escalate.

Completion is due on the disposal of our £475,000 maisonette in Birtley next week. The freeholder has quoted £408 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Birtley?

Birtley conveyancing on leasehold apartments often involves the buyer’s lawyer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries most will be content to assist. They are entitled to levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

Birtley Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments? On the whole the outlay for major works are not wrapped into the service charges, although some managing agents in Birtley ask leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger repairs or maintenance. The best form of lease structure is where the freehold reversion is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this arrangement the tenants enjoy control and even though a managing agent is often retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.