I am purchasing a property in Mold. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Lloyds have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Lloyds your lawyer must check the conveyancing requirements contained in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Lloyds. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Lloyds where a lease fails to satisfy these provisions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Mold.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Mold. I have a mortgage offer with Nationwide. 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 Nationwide, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

I have instructed a Mold conveyancer having checked that they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Mold postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Mold.

I need some quick conveyancing in Mold as I am faced with an ultimatum to sign on the dotted line within 2 weeks. A mortgage is not required. Can I avoid the conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

If.Given you are not obtaining a home loan you have the choice not to have searches conducted although no law firm would recommend that you don't. Drawing on years of experience of conveyancing in Mold the following are instances of what can show up and adversely impact future saleability: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Fees, Overdue Grants, Unadopted Roads,...

How does conveyancing in Mold differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Mold come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is ready to move into. This is because new home sellers in Mold usually purchase the land, 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 property lawyers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Mold or who has acted in the same development.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Mold is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Mold are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Mold you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Mold may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

There are only 62 years remaining on my lease in Mold. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is can not be found. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to track down the freeholder. In some cases a specialist should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be used as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Mold.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Mold - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this situation the lessees benefit from being in charge if their destiny and even though a managing agent is usually employed where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. For most Mold leaseholds the outlay for major works are not included within service charges, although some managing agents in Mold require leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for larger works. Where a Mold lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the salability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your bank that they are willing to go ahead with the loan given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have been the owner of the property for a couple of years before you are eligible to exercise a lease extension.