I am purchasing a property in Hull North. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Skipton be concerned?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton your lawyer must check the conveyancing instructions outlined in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Skipton where a lease does not satisfy these conditions. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not restricted to Hull North.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Hull North off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Bank of Ireland. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.

It is not clear whether my lender requires a lease extension. I have called my Hull North bank branch on numerous occasions and was told it wasn't a problem and they will lend. My Hull North conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they would not lend based on their published requirements. Who do I believe?

As long as the lawyer is on the lender approved list, she or he must follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

What will a local search inform me about the property we're buying in Hull North?

Hull North conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for example Onsearch The local search plays an important role in most Hull North conveyancing purchase; as long as you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search should provide data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject headings.

I completed on my apartment on 14 November and the transaction details is not yet registered. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Hull North advises it will be registered in a couple of weeks. Are properties in Hull North particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in Hull North registration is no faster or slower than the rest of England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timeframes can vary according to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any other parties. At present approximately three quarters of such applications are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Registration takes place once the buyer is living at the property thus an expedited registration is not always top priority but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer should communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Hull North. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a studio flat in Hull North, conveyancing was carried out August 1995. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent flats in Hull North with a long lease are worth £191,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2078

With just 53 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £27,600 and £31,800 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

My cousin is buying a garden flat in Hull North. He has received a fee estimate by the property lawyer suggested by the selling agents totaling £1245 . It was eight years ago I sold and purchased a property and the bill was £500. Have costs really gone up that much?

What does the conveyancing estimate include? Is it just for the legal fees, or what you will be paying in total (for example Hull North searches, land registry fees, etc)