My wife and I are hoping to buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Castle Cary with a mortgage. We have a Castle Cary lawyer, however the bank advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel solicitors or keep our Castle Cary conveyancing practitioner as well as pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel that this is inequitable; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Castle Cary conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

I have been told that property searches are the number one reason for obstruction in Castle Cary conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the determinations of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the most frequent causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Castle Cary.

About to purchase a new build flat in Castle Cary. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Castle Cary

Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?

How do I use the search tool to locate a conveyancing lawyer in Castle Cary on the approved list for my lender?

First pick a lender such as HSBC Bank, Skipton Building Society or Nottingham Building Society then specify your location for example Castle Cary. Conveyancing practices in Castle Cary and across England and Wales should be listed.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Castle Cary both have approximately 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Castle Cary. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena.

Castle Cary Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

It would be prudent to find out as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they can either make living at the property much simpler or much more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters like the upkeep of the common parts. You should not be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of their service. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending that money. Who is in charge of the building? You should be aware if it is less than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the property. It is worth checking with your bank that they are willing to go ahead with the loan given the lease term. A short lease means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension at some point and it is worth finding out what this will be. Remember, in most cases you would be be obliged to have been the owner of the premises for a couple of years in order to be eligible to carry out a lease extension.