I am nearing exchange of contracts for my maisonette in Glossop and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are swapping solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a leading lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Glossop ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in recent years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for many years.

Banks blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

I am need of leasehold conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (five years built) in Glossop. The vast majority the flats have already been sold. Do I need carry out the neighbourhood searches for my conveyancing in Glossop?

You are putting yourself at risk in refusing to carrying out Glossop conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying mortgage free there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would seriously advise in no uncertain terms that your conveyancer conducts them. Where accelerating the process and cost are top of your issues you should discuss with your solicitor about the possibility of search insurance

Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in Glossop?

If you are buying a property in Glossop your solicitor will request that you place them with monies to cover the search fees. Normally this is needed to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the down payment is payable against the total price then this will be asked for shortly before exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is needed should be transferred a couple of days prior to the day of completion.

I’m about to sell my basement flat in Glossop. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have recently received a half-yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay the invoice as normal as all ground rent and maintenance payments should be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Glossop - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Plenty Glossop leasehold flats will have a service charge for maintenance of the block levied on behalf of the freeholder. If you purchase the flat you will have to pay this liability, normally quarterly during the year. This could differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant amount, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. The answer will be helpful as a) areas could result in problems in the block as the common areas may start to deteriorate if maintenance are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the managing agents you will wish to have full disclosure Its a good idea to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day issues such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, find out the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money.

Why am I unable to complete my conveyancing in Glossop on Good Friday?

This is due to the fact that on completion the funds will be transferred electronically between the banks of the purchaser and owner’s conveyancer and at present this can only take place on a working day. It is not possible to complete on a weekend either.