Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Middlewich is not identified on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of his conveyancing?

That would more than likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should simply call the Middlewich conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

Do banks and building societies provide you with an approved list of Middlewich conveyancing solicitors? How do you know who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel?

Middlewich conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Clydesdale directly.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Middlewich I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, however it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Middlewich suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

Should I instruct a Middlewich conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am hoping to buy? We have a good friend who can handle the conveyancing but his firm is located 300kilometers drive away.

The benefit of a high street Middlewich conveyancing firm is that you can drop in to sign documents, present your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Middlewich know how is a plus. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust instructed your friend and on the whole were content that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Middlewich conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being round the corner.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Middlewich. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Middlewich who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Middlewich conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Middlewich Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

Can you tell me if there are any major works on the horizon that will increase the service fees? What prohibitions are there in the Middlewich Lease? The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the lessees have control and even though a managing agent is often retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants.