I am thinking of remortgaging my apartment in Alsager, does my lawyer have to be on the Leeds Building Society Conveyancing panel?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Leeds Building Society will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

I need some expedited conveyancing in Alsager as I am under an ultimatum to complete within 4 weeks. Luckily I do not require a mortgage. Is it possible to escape the need for conveyancing searches to save money and time?

If.Given you are are a mortgage free purchaser you are at free not to have searches conducted although no law firm would recommend that you don't. With lots of history conveyancing in Alsager the following are examples of what can arise and therefore affect future mortgageability: Enforcement Notices, Overdue Charges, Overdue Grants, Railway Schemes,...

I used Arc property Solicitors a few years ago for my conveyancing in Alsager. I now require my file however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Alsager of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Am I right to be suspicious that estate agents that I am dealing with are recommending a nationwide conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Alsager conveyancing firm?

As is the case with many professional services, often recommendations from family and friends can be extremely useful or valuable. But there are lots of players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies may suggest lawyers to instruct. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but occasionally there may be a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You are at liberty to appoint your own conveyancer. You need to be aware that most lenders specify a panel list of lawyers you must use for the lender aspect of your transaction.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Alsager. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Alsager are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Alsager in which case you should be looking for a Alsager conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I invested in buying a 1 bedroom flat in Alsager, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2009. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar flats in Alsager with over 90 years remaining are worth £171,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2104

With just 79 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously 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.