About to place a bid on a leasehold flat in Barnoldswick. The property agents assure me that it is normal for flats in Barnoldswick to have less than 75 years unexpired on the lease. I am getting a mortgage with Chelsea Building Society. Is this going to be a problem if the lease has 70 years remaining.

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 12/8/2025 the requirements read as follows :

I am buying a 3 bedroom semi in Barnoldswick. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the house.Will the conveyancing process include investigations to ascertain if these works were previously refused?

Your property lawyer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Barnoldswick will occasionally identify restrictions in the title deeds which restrict categories of alterations or necessitated the consent of a 3rd party. Certain additions need local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

I'm the sole recipient of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Barnoldswick. The Barnoldswick property was put into my name in July. I want to move. I understand that there is a CML six month 'rule', meaning my property ownership may be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the house in July. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The CML handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be affected by that. How practical a view lenders take of it, depend on the bank as this requirement chiefly exists to pick up on subsales or the flipping of property.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Principality, do Barnoldswick lawyers face a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to be on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Barnoldswick. I now require my file however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should call 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 Barnoldswick of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

How does conveyancing in Barnoldswick differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Barnoldswick approach us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because developers in Barnoldswick typically purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Barnoldswick or who has acted in the same development.

My step-son is just in the process of moving home, he had his mortgage in principle. One the seller agreed the offer on the house we called the mortgage institution to progress the mortgage application. I was disappointed to learn that mortgage companies do not accept all conveyancing practitioner, they have to be on a list, is this legal?

Mortgage Companies normally restrict either the type or the number of conveyancing solicitors on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that lenders have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any Barnoldswick solicitor on their panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, conveyancing is not their speciality. To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime? Presumably not.