I do hope you can help me. My Morecambe conveyancer is assuring me that she is duty bound toconduct Morecambe conveyancing searches resulting from the fact thatthe firm are on the Lloydsapproved lawyer panel. Is my conveyancer correct?

You have limited options available to you. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Morecambe conveyancing searches.

Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Morecambe costs more?

The conveyancing fees on a leasehold property in Morecambe is often higher as compared to a freehold residence. This is because there is an amount of extra time necessary in liaising with the landlord and managing agents to collate the information about whether the rent and maintenance fee have been cleared and whether there are any large sums expected to be spent in the foreseeable future on repairs or maintenance of the block.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Morecambe is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Morecambe are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Morecambe you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Morecambe may ascertain 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 residence.

Back In 2003, I bought a leasehold house in Morecambe. Conveyancing and mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Morecambe who previously acted has long since retired. Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Morecambe conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Morecambe - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

Does the lease have in excess of 82 years left? The answer will be helpful as a) areas may result in problems for the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if maintenance are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will wish to have complete disclosure Who manages the block?

My partner and I have just had an offer agreed on a house and had an appointment on Monday with the Post Office for the mortgage. They warned us that when it comes to selecting a that unless they are on their approved panel of then we will be subject to an a further charge of £200. This is because they would then have to select a solicitor to act on their behalf as well as the one we appoint for ourselves and we assume responsibility for their invoice. I have asked the Post Office to provide me with a list so I can obtain estimates only from their approved solicitors but was told they dont have such a list to hand over. Is there a list online?

Ask the Post Office what their criteria for joining their panel is for a solicitor.Thereafter ask the of your choice whether they meet the criteria and have they acted on loans for the Post Office historically. If the answer to those is yes, then just double check with the Post Office. Alternatively please use our search facility and we should be able to locate a in Morecambe on the panel for the Post Office.