I just acquired a house at auction in Cross Hands. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Given that you have now for all intents and purposes signed on the dotted line you must choose a conveyancing solicitor soon as you are faced with a pending a fixed date to complete the purchase. Every auction property will have a corresponding legal set of papers. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. If you have purchased leasehold property the conveyancing pack should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation specific to a leasehold property. You need to give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that your finances are in place to complete on the date specified in the contract.

How can we know in advance if a Cross Hands conveyancing solicitor on the Clydesdale panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Cross Hands getting recommendations is a good starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Cross Hands. I have a mortgage agreed with Virgin Money. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. 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 Virgin Money, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

A relative suggested that if I am purchasing in Cross Hands I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Cross Hands conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Cross Hands around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Cross Hands Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information concerning Cross Hands.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Cross Hands I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Cross Hands in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

What does commercial conveyancing in Cross Hands cover?

Cross Hands conveyancing for business premises covers a broad array of guidance, supplied by qualified solicitors, relating to business premises. By way of example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more commonly, the assignment of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of leases.

I’m about to sell my basement flat in Cross Hands. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have recently received a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you pay the invoice as you normally would as all ground rent and maintenance invoices will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I inherited a split level flat in Cross Hands, conveyancing was carried out in 2004. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Cross Hands with a long lease are worth £196,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 2089

With 64 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £15,200 and £17,600 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.