My solicitor has uncovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the flat we are buying in Beaworthy. The other side have suggested defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that he must check that the mortgage company is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the mortgage company ?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your property lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

We note that you have a search directory identifying firms on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I retain them for our conveyancing in Beaworthy?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Beaworthy.

We are buying a property in Beaworthy. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? At some point we will need to put money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Beaworthy. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Nottingham be concerned?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham your lawyer must comply with the formal instructions outlined in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The CML Handbook includes minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Nottingham where a lease fails to satisfy these provisions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Beaworthy.

I have instructed a Beaworthy property lawyer having made sure that they are on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Beaworthy postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Beaworthy.

Should I be wary by third parties that I am dealing with are recommending a web based conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Beaworthy conveyancing company?

As is the case with many service providers, often input from relatives can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are many players in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, financial adviser and banks might all suggest solicitors to retain. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but occasionally there exists a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You are free to choose your own conveyancer. You need to be aware that many mortgage providers have an approved list of lawyers you have to use for the mortgage related work in your home move.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Beaworthy. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Beaworthy are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Beaworthy so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Beaworthy conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Beaworthy, conveyancing formalities finalised April 2001. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Beaworthy with a long lease are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2090

With just 65 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £13,300 and £15,400 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.