Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Grappenhall is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her conveyancing?

It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Grappenhall conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

My partner and I intend to remortgage our flat in Grappenhall with Lloyds. We have a son 19 who lives with us. Our solicitor has asked us to disclose any adults other than ourselves who reside at the property. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the apartment is repossessed. I have two concerns (1) Is this document specific to the Lloyds conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we bought 4 years ago (2) Does our son by signing this compromise his entitlement to inherit the property?

First, rest assured that your Lloyds conveyancing panel solicitor is doing the right thing as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Lloyds. This is solely used to protect Lloyds if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Lloyds had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Grappenhall but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Grappenhall and has limited impact for conveyancing in Grappenhall but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

What is the difference between a licensed conveyancer and conveyancing solicitor in Grappenhall

There are many recorded licenced Conveyancers in Grappenhall and Solicitor firms in Grappenhall offering conveyancing We would stress that both are supervised by regulatory bodies with both specialising in the legal work in transferring property. They may both also handle associated property related work such as remortgage conveyancing, enfranchisement and transfer of equity conveyancing.

When it comes to lenders such as Kent Reliance, do Grappenhall lawyers have to pay a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any bank fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I currently have a mortgage with Principality for my property in Grappenhall. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Principality?

Your original mortgage agreement with Principality will provide that you need their approval before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Principality’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Principality will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Principality directly. You need not do this via a Principality conveyancing panel solicitor.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Grappenhall. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Grappenhall are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Grappenhall in which case you should be shopping around for a Grappenhall conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

Grappenhall Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

How is the lease structured? On the whole the outlay for major works are not included within maintenance charges, although there some managing agents in Grappenhall ask leasehold owners to contribute towards a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of establishing a fund for larger works. How much is the ground rent and service charge?