All was ready to complete my purchase in Harpenden next Thursday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the mortgage company. What does the insurance need to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook instructions. These requirements are not unique to conveyancing in Harpenden.

Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Harpenden costs more?

Harpenden leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.

we are a couple who are hoping to buy a newbuild apartment in Harpenden with a loan from Barnsley Building Society.We use our Harpenden conveyancing lawyer but Barnsley Building Society says his firm is not listed on their "panel". We have to appoint a Barnsley Building Society panel solicitor or keep our local solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that Barnsley Building Society use our lawyer?

Unfortunately,no. The loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that solicitors needs to be on the Barnsley Building Society approved list. in the past, most banks had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Barnsley Building Society

Is it simple use your search tool to find a conveyancing lawyer in Harpenden on the approved list for my mortgage?

1st choose a lender such as Halifax, Skipton Building Society or Alliance & Leicester then type in your preferred area for example Harpenden. Conveyancing firms in Harpenden and beyond should be listed.

I have just started marketing my garden apartment in Harpenden. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have recently had a yearly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the invoice as usual because all rents and service charges should be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies 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.

I own a basement flat in Harpenden, conveyancing was carried out January 1999. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Harpenden with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2077

With 52 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.