Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is expelled from the Nationwide Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Broughton?

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 at a cost.

What can a local search tell me about the house we're purchasing in Broughton?

Broughton conveyancing often commences with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as Onsearch The local search is essential in every Broughton conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic headings.

I have a terraced Victorian house in Broughton. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Alliance & Leicester . I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Broughton and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with the conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.

How does conveyancing in Broughton differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Broughton contact us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is constructed. This is because house builders in Broughton usually buy 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 property lawyers 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 Broughton or who has acted in the same development.

All being well we will complete the sale of our £475,000 garden flat in Broughton next Monday. The freeholder has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Broughton?

Broughton conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the purchaser’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions most will be willing to do so. They are entitled to charge a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to sell the property.

I invested in buying a 1st floor flat in Broughton, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar flats in Broughton with over 90 years remaining are worth £176,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2103

You have 80 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £8,600 and £9,800 plus legals.

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 detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.