I am selling my maisonette in Alderley Edge and the EA has just text me to advise that the buyers are appointing a new solicitor. The reason given is that the bank will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only work with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Alderley Edge ?

Banks have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

Do lawyers request an advanced payment for my conveyancing in Alderley Edge?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Alderley Edge your solicitor will ask you to provide them with funds to cover the search fees. Generally this is needed to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the deposit is as part of the total price then this should be needed immediately ahead of exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is needed should be transferred a couple of days prior to the day of completion.

A friend advised me that where I am buying in Alderley Edge I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Alderley Edge conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Alderley Edge around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Alderley Edge Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Alderley Edge Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Alderley Edge.

My uncle has recommend that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Alderley Edge. Should I use them?

There are no two ways about it it’s preferable to select a conveyancing practitioner is to seek feedback from friends or family who have actually previously instructed the solicitor that you are contemplating using.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Alderley Edge from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Alderley Edge can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
A minority of Alderley Edge leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are 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 lawyers. If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a property where a dispute is unsettled. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to ongoing. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Alderley Edge leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such works. If you fail to have the consents in place do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor first. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable verify this via your solicitors. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is under 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

Alderley Edge Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying

Who are the managing agents? Is there a share of the freehold? It is important to be aware if redecorating or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future to be shared between the tenants and will dramatically impact the level of the service fees or result in a specific payment.