My wife and I are due to complete on the purchase of a property in Merseyside but as a consequence of wreckage from some water damage at the property I have managed to agree reparation from the owner of £3k in the form of a adjustment in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of a side agreement yet UBS are not allowing this. Why were they approached?

The lawyer that is on a UBS conveyancing panel is required to disclose to UBS of any changes to the purchase price. If you prohibit your conveyancer to report the price change to UBS then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, UBS and you would have to appoint a new conveyancer for your conveyancing in Merseyside.

We are purchasing a house and require a conveyancing solicitor in Merseyside who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Coventry BS . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Merseyside.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Merseyside?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Merseyside. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

How does conveyancing in Merseyside differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Merseyside come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is ready to move into. This is because developers in Merseyside usually buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Merseyside or who has acted in the same development.

There are only 72 years left on my lease in Merseyside. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to locate the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Merseyside.

I inherited a 1 bedroom flat in Merseyside, conveyancing was carried out in 2001. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Merseyside with a long lease are worth £181,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2070

With 50 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £32,300 and £37,400 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.