I am acquiring a house mortgage free in Ripon. I have resided for the last twelve years in Ripon. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I know the road and vicinity very well should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then almost all of the Ripon conveyancing searches are optional. Your conveyancer will try and sway you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches done, but he has a professional duty to do this. One thing to take into account; if you are intend to sell the house in the future, it will likely be be of interest to your prospective purchaser what the searches contain. On occasion properties with apparent issues can still throw up negative search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Ripon should be able to give you some sensible advice concerning this.

I am considering applying for a Nationwide mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) in Ripon with 65 per cent LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Nationwide ?

In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Nationwide conveyancing panel, but Nationwide would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Ripon is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Ripon are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Ripon you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Ripon may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business premises in Ripon and how can your lawyers assist?

The 1954 Act provides a safeguard to commercial lessees, granting the legal entitlement to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of an expired lease. There are limited grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are involved. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Ripon

What are the common defects that you encounter in leases for Ripon properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Ripon. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain sections are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.

You could have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Coventry Building Society, and Britannia all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

I invested in buying a basement flat in Ripon, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Ripon with over 90 years remaining are worth £207,000. The ground rent is £60 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2081

You have 57 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £28,500 and £33,000 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns 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 seeking the advice of a professional.