I am considering mortgaging my house in Arnside, does my lawyer have to be on the Clydesdale Solicitor panel?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Clydesdale will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

We previously appointed solicitors located in Arnside on the HSBC solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me a further amount for the legal aspects of the HSBC mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by HSBC?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by HSBC but by your Arnside conveyancer. Numerous firms on the HSBC panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but many firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

How can we know in advance if a Arnside conveyancing solicitor on the Clydesdale panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Arnside getting recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.

I am buying a property in Arnside. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Lloyds have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Lloyds your lawyer must check the formal requirements outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Lloyds. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to Lloyds where a lease does not meet these specifications. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not isolated to Arnside.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Arnside with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative advised me not inform my conveyancer about the side-deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

We're new to the buying process - had an offer accepted, yet the property agent has warned us that the vendor will only go ahead if we use their recommended solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family conveyancer used to conveyancing in Arnside

It is improbable the owners are driving this. Should the seller desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Try to communicate with the vendors directly and explain that (a)you are motivated buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you are going to appoint your own,trusted Arnside conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a introducer fee or meet his conveyancing thresholds demanded by HQ.

I have recently realised that I have Sixty One years left on my lease in Arnside. I now want to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. In some cases a specialist should be helpful to carry out a search and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Arnside.

I am the registered owner of a basement flat in Arnside, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Arnside with a long lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2087

With just 62 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £17,100 and £19,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.