Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Haslingden. Is there a reason why all Haslingden lawyers aren't automatically on all bank panels?

As unjust as it may appear for lenders to limit who can represent them, from the public’s or solicitor’s perspective, the flip side is that banks are increasingly anxious and feel it vital to protect them against illegal activities. As a consequence of this concern banks have reduced their panel of approved conveyancing lawyers to a size that they are happy to control.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Haslingden is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Haslingden are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Haslingden you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Haslingden may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

Am I right to be concerned by estate agents that I am dealing with are recommending a national conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Haslingden conveyancing company?

As with many service providers, often referrals from connections can be most helpful. Nevertheless there are many people with a keen interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and banks may recommend solicitors to appoint. On occasion the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but sometimes there behind the scenes commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You have the discretion to choose your own conveyancer. However, bear in mind that many mortgage providers specify a panel list of solicitors you must use for the lender related work in your transaction.

As co-executor for the estate of my grandfather I am disposing of a property in Swansea but I am based in Haslingden. My solicitor (who is 250 kilometers awayrequires that I sign a stat dec ahead of the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Haslingden to witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Haslingden based

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Haslingden. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Haslingden should include some of the following:

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring? Changes to the flat You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions Responsibility for maintaining the window frames

I own a 1 bedroom flat in Haslingden, conveyancing was carried out December 2009. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Haslingden with over 90 years remaining are worth £181,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2075

With just 50 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.