Is the fact that my solicitor in City of Darlington is not listed on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?

That would more than likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Where you are concerned you should simply call the City of Darlington conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

Can the conveyancing solicitors that are recommend carry out auction conveyancing in City of Darlington?

There are a number of niche lawyers we can connect you with those conducting auction conveyancing. City of Darlington is one of our locations where our lawyers have offices.

Why is leasehold purchase conveyancing in City of Darlington is more expensive?

City of Darlington leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.

There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in City of Darlington but how do I know who's good?

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest City of Darlington conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

We had instructed conveyancers locally in City of Darlington on the RBS solicitor panel. They have just billed me a separate sum for the legal aspects of the RBS mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by RBS?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your lawyer may levy a fee for this. This fee is not set by RBS but by your City of Darlington solicitor. Plenty of firms on the RBS panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but plenty of firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in City of Darlington. I have a mortgage agreed with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

I have recently realised that I have Fifty years left on my lease in City of Darlington. I now want to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What should I do?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you have done all that could be expected to find the freeholder. In some cases a specialist should be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document which can be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing City of Darlington.

I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in City of Darlington, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1996. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in City of Darlington with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2095

With 70 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.