The vendors of the property we are hoping to buy have appointed a conveyancing practitioner in Kirkbymoorside who has recommended a lock out contract with a down payment of 5k. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

This type of preliminary agreement isn't frequently used in Kirkbymoorside, conveyancers will often encourage clients away from them as they divert attention from the primary objective, namely conveyancing and if you end up losing your deposit then the lawyer at best left with an upset client and at worst a litigious one. In addition, there is no guarantee that just because the owner has entered into an exclusivity contract they will complete the sale with you. They may be motivated to break the agreement if they are offered a large enough offer to do so because a wronged claimant with the benefit of a exclusivitycontract will still have to establish consequential losses from the breach and these may not equalise the financial benefit that your vendor may obtain by breaching the contract, no matter how morally condemnable that may be.

I note that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to take this when buying a residence in Kirkbymoorside? or Apparently there is historic law that means some homeowners residing in a parish church boundary will be compelled to contribute towards maintenance to the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this relevant for conveyancing in Kirkbymoorside?

Unless a previous purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you may expect solicitors conducting conveyancing in Kirkbymoorside to continue to propose a a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Kirkbymoorside I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 52 years on the lease. There is not much else in Kirkbymoorside suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

If you require a home loan that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.

Do I need to be concerned about 3rd parties that I am dealing with are suggesting a factory type conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Kirkbymoorside conveyancing company?

As is the case with many service providers, often referrals from family and friends can be very helpful. Nevertheless there are numerous people with a keen interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders might all put forward solicitors to appoint. Sometimes these conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but sometimes there may be a financial incentive behind the recommendation. You have the discretion to choose your own conveyancer. You need to be aware that the majority of mortgage providers have an approved list of lawyers you are obliged to use for the lender aspect of your home move.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Kirkbymoorside conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Kirkbymoorside conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggest that you talk with two or three firms including non Kirkbymoorside conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be helpful:

How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation? How many lease extensions has the firm carried out in Kirkbymoorside in the last year?

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Kirkbymoorside, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Kirkbymoorside with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2084

With 66 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.