My fiance and I are looking to acquire a property in Four Oaks and are in fact using a Four Oaks conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Virgin Money have this evening contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Four Oaks lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?

When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Four Oaks lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

The sellers of the home we are purchasing hired a conveyancing practitioner in Four Oaks who has suggested a exclusivity agreement with a payment of 5k. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

There are two main drawbacks with executing a lock out agreement (occasionally known as an exclusivity agreement) is that it takes away the focus from moving forward with the conveyancing transaction itself, so in the absence of it needing minimal or no negotiation then it may turn out to be a hindrance. It is not promoted amongst Four Oaks conveyancing practitioners for this reason. A further issue is the extent of the remedies available - a jilted purchaser is not likely to obtain an injunctive ruling by a court to prohibit the vendor completing the sale to an alternative purchaser, so the only remedy open via the contract will be the reimbursement of abortive costs and, in rare circumstances, the additional payment of penalties.

Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that could impact a commercial premises in Four Oaks?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Four Oaks will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Four Oaks. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Four Oaks.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Four Oaks it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately can result in delays to Four Oaks commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for residential conveyancing in Four Oaks.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for my conveyancing in Four Oaks. I happened to discover a site which seems to have the ideal answer If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via web that would be ideal. Should I be wary? What should out be looking out for?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

I only have 62 years remaining on my lease in Four Oaks. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What are my options?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application 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 or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the freeholder. On the whole a specialist may be helpful to try and locate and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Four Oaks.

I inherited a garden flat in Four Oaks, conveyancing was carried out 4 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Four Oaks with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease terminates on 21st October 2094

With only 71 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.