We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from as we want to conduct a loft conversion to our house in Hellesdon. Are we obliged to select a high street Hellesdon solicitor on the conveyancing panel to handle the legals?

do not ordinarily appoint firms on their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the conveyancing panel.

I had a mortgage agreed in principle with . Hellesdon conveyancing solicitors are chosen. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from ?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have conducted the valuation? Have you advised as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I'm in the throws of looking at apartments in Hellesdon and I am about to put in an offer. Is it best to have my on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a mortgage with .

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their contact information on to the selling agent. As you are seeking a mortgage with , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the conveyancing panel.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Hellesdon. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Hellesdon and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Hellesdon for my house move. Is there any facility to see a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

You may see published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from investigations started on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training reasons.

I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Hellesdon. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Hellesdon ?

Most houses in Hellesdon are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Hellesdon in which case you should be shopping around for a Hellesdon conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

Hellesdon Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

What is the annual maintenance fee and ground rent? Where a Hellesdon lease has less than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are happy with residual term of the lease. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this will be. Remember, in most cases you would need to own the property for 24 months before you are entitled to extend the lease. It would be sensible to find out if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Hellesdon. If you love the apartmentin Hellesdon however your dog can’t make the move with you then you have a very hard decision.

I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in Hellesdon.Conveyancing has not commenced however I have recently had a half-yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as normal because all rents and maintenance charges should be apportionedas part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice 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