I am acquiring property in Letchworth Garden City. My lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company solicitor list. Am I still permitted to retain my Letchworth Garden City conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the bank panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?

Your options include

• Complete the purchase with your existing Letchworth Garden City solicitor but your lender will no doubt instruct a property lawyer from their conveyancing panel. The net result is additional charges and likely delay.
• Get a fresh lawyer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the lender conveyancing panel.
• Convince your solicitor to apply to join the lender panel

I decided to have a survey completed on a property in Letchworth Garden City in advance of instructing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor advised that some lenders may not grant a loan on this type of property.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you call us we can investigate further via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Letchworth Garden City. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Letchworth Garden City especially if they are familiar with such properties in Letchworth Garden City.

I am using a search engine for the phrase on line conveyancing in Letchworth Garden City it shows results of numerous property lawyersin the area. How do I determine which is the right solicitor for purchase transaction?

The ideal way of finding the right conveyancer is via trusted recommendation, so seek the counsel of friends and relatives who have acquired a property in Letchworth Garden City or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Letchworth Garden City vary, so it's advisable to obtain at least four quotes from varying types of law firms. Be sure to seek confirmation that the fees are fixed.

I have just started marketing my ground floor flat in Letchworth Garden City. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have recently had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

It best that you discharge the service charge as you normally would as all rents and service charges should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Letchworth Garden City - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

What restrictions exist in the Letchworth Garden City Lease? If a Letchworth Garden City lease has fewer than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the flat. Check with your lender that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. For most Letchworth Garden Citylease extensions you will be required to have owned the premises for a couple of years in order to be eligible to carry out a lease extension. You will want to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the building as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day issues like the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask other tenants if they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending the funds.

Me and my wife are about to exchange on the purchase a property in Letchworth Garden City but as a consequence of damage from the recent storms I have negotiated compensation from the seller of four thousand pounds taking the form of a deduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process yet the lender will not agree to this. Why were they involved?

The conveyancer listed on the bank approved list is duty bound to advise the bank of any changes to the purchase figure. In the event that you were to refuse your property lawyer to report the price change to your lender then they would need to discontinue acting for you and the bank.