In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Astwood Bank? Is this really necessary?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering laws require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identification documents of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing retainer. The Client Care letter that you are required to sign should confirm this. Your lender will also require certain documents to be checked. Where you are unwilling to hand over ID verification documents, your lawyer would not be able to accept instructions from you.

What happens if my solicitor is removed from the Santander Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Astwood Bank?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

I used Action Conveyancing a few years past for my conveyancing in Astwood Bank. I now require my papers however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing 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 Astwood Bank of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Astwood Bank. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I own a garden flat in Astwood Bank, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Astwood Bank with a long lease are worth £170,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease terminates on 21st October 2104

With just 78 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £7,600 and £8,800 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

Do I cancel my mortgage payments with Yorkshire BS as soon as a completion date for my home sale in Astwood Bank has been set?

No, you must keep paying any mortgage payments to Yorkshire BS until the mortgage is repaid on completion as part of your Astwood Bank conveyancing.