My fiance and I are acquiring a maisonette in Ferryhill. My Solicitor has never been on on the bank solicitor panel. Can I still continue with my Ferryhill conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the mortgage company approved list?

You will need to instruct a property lawyer to deal with the legal work required when you need a mortgage to buy your home. The conveyancer will carry out all the appropriate due diligence on the property, ensuring that you’re properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the required mortgage paperwork is dealt with. One may appoint a Ferryhill lawyer of your choice. Nevertheless, where the conveyancer appointed is not on the mortgage company approved list additional charges will arise as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications may be submitted, so where your conveyancer has not previously applied for membership they should do so.

My friend advised me that if I am purchasing in Ferryhill I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Ferryhill conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Ferryhill around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Ferryhill.

How does conveyancing in Ferryhill differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Ferryhill come to us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because house builders in Ferryhill usually buy the real estate, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Ferryhill or who has acted in the same development.

Expecting to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Ferryhill. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Ferryhill should include some of the following:

Repair and maintenance of the premises What options are open to you if a neighbour breaches a clause of their lease? Advice concerning the obligations as set out in the lease to to contribute towards maintenance costs - in respect of the block, and the wider rights a tenant enjoys Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?

I invested in buying a 1st floor flat in Ferryhill, conveyancing formalities finalised August 2011. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar properties in Ferryhill with a long lease are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2086

With 62 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £17,100 and £19,800 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

What type of conveyancing matters do Ferryhill conveyancing practices typically advise on?

Most Ferryhill conveyancing firms tend to conduct a number of services to home and land proprietors, vendors, purchasers, freeholders and tenants such as:

Standard residential sale conveyancing in Ferryhill or wider afield Domestic purchase conveyancing in Ferryhill and further afield Buying and selling of garden land Grant and Assignment of Leases Probate sale conveyancing Drafting in respect of rights of drainage, services, and access (Easements)