Completed the sale of my flat in Darnall last August yet the purchaser is SMS messaging daily to say her lawyer is waiting to hear from mine. What should my lawyer have done now that I have sold?

Following your sale your solicitor should forward the transfer documentation and all supplemental paperwork to the buyer’s solicitors. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer must also confirm that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been redeemed to the purchasers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion procedures specific conveyancing in Darnall.

I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in Darnall for our house move. Our broker has since notified us that our bank Platform Home Loans Ltd won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

A mortgage company will require an approved conveyancer act for it. You would be liable to meet the cost of this. Try using our tool to locate a solicitor to carry conveyancing in Darnall on the Platform Home Loans Ltd member panel.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £245,000 and found one near me in Darnall I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Darnall suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

Am I best advised to appoint a Darnall conveyancing lawyer based in the location that I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can handle the legal formalities however they are based over three hundred kilometers drive away.

The benefit of a high street Darnall conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to sign documents, hand in your identification documents and pester them if necessary. They will also have local intelligence which is a plus. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have instructed your friend and in the main were content that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Darnall conveyancing lawyer just because they are based in the area.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Darnall. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Leasehold Conveyancing in Darnall - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

It is important to be aware if fixing the lift or some other significant cost is due in the near future that will be shared amongst the leasehold owners and will dramatically increase the the service charges or necessitate a specific invoice. Its a good idea to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. You should not be shy to ask other tenants if they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and specifically what it includes. The answer will be useful as a) areas could cause problems in the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if maintenance are not paid for b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will want to have full disclosure