My wife and I are buying a property in Choppington. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to deposit our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

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.

What is the difference between a licensed conveyancer and conveyancing solicitor in Choppington

There are two types of lawyers who can perform conveyancing in Choppington namely licenced conveyancers or solicitors. Both professionals handle the legal services that you need to complete the sale or acquisition of property. They are both required to carry out Choppington conveyancing to the same quality and guidelines so you may be sure that your conveyancing will be professionally carried out and that the requisite steps should be suitably attended to.

Can you point me to a directory of Lloyds panel solicitors in Choppington on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Choppington property lawyer on the Lloyds please use our facility.

How does conveyancing in Choppington differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Choppington come to us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because builders in Choppington usually 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 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 used to new build conveyancing in Choppington or who has acted in the same development.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Choppington ahead of appointing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. My surveyor has said that some lenders may not grant a mortgage on such a property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different requirements from Birmingham Midshires. If you contact us we can investigate further via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Choppington. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Choppington to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

Is it best to appoint a Choppington conveyancing solicitor who is local to the property I am purchasing? An old friend can handle the legal formalities but her office is 200miles drive away.

The benefit of a local Choppington conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to sign documents, deliver your ID and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local knowledge which is a bonus. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were happy that should outweigh using an unknown Choppington conveyancing lawyer just because they are Choppington based.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Choppington. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Choppington ?

Most houses in Choppington are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Choppington in which case you should be looking for a Choppington conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Choppington - Sample of Queries before buying

What is the annual maintenance fee and ground rent? It is important to be aware if a new roof is being put on or some other significant cost is due shortly that will be shared between the tenants and could well dramatically increase the the service charges or require a one time invoice. The prefered form of lease structure is if the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the tenants have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently retained where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves.