Our solicitor has discovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing in Moss Nook. The seller’s lawyers have offered defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our property lawyer has advised that he must ensure that the bank is content with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the mortgage company ?

Even though you have a mortgage offer from the mortgage company does not mean to say that the property will meet their specifications for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. You and the mortgage company are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with.

We are buying a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Moss Nook who is on the UBS approved 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 UBS . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Moss Nook.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as TSB, do Moss Nook solicitors have to pay an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in April 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Aldermore are being pedantic. The Moss Nook solicitor who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Aldermore are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Aldermore have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Aldermore have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Aldermore may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Moss Nook solicitor - who is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Lloyds will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Lloyds 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 conveyancing practitioner 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 Moss Nook postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Lloyds, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Moss Nook.

My husband and I are 18 days into a freehold purchase having been referred to a firm by the high street agent to carry out the conveyancing in Moss Nook. I am am starting to be frustrated with the level of service. Could you help me find new solicitors?

They would have to be really poor in order to consider changing them. Has your loan offer been issued? In the event that it has you will need to inform them of the new contact details and get the mortgage documents are re-sent. The conveyancer needs to be on the lenders approved list to avoid escalating fees and delays. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. The search tool can assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Moss Nook

I am intending to rent out my leasehold apartment in Moss Nook. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A lease dictates the relationship between the landlord and you the leaseholder; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Moss Nook do not prevent subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

Moss Nook Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

What is the name of the managing agents? Does this lease have more than 90 years remaining? It would be prudent to find out if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. By way of example some leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Moss Nook. If you love the propertyin Moss Nook yet your dog is not allowed to live with you then you will be faced hard compromise.