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Find a North Somerset Conveyancing Solictior on Your Lender’s Panel

Ready to buy a new home in North Somerset? Failing to check that a lawyer is on your lender’s list of approved solicitors can put your North Somerset home move at risk of delay or failure.

Only LenderPanel.com provides a subset of authorised North Somerset conveyancers for over 130 lenders.


Recently asked questions about conveyancing in North Somerset

I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in North Somerset for our house move. Our broker has since advised us that our mortgage lenders Yorkshire Building Society won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

A mortgage company will require a panel solicitor act for it. You would be expected to bear the charges for this. Please make use of our directory service to locate a solicitor to carry conveyancing in North Somerset on the Yorkshire Building Society approved list of solicitors.

My wife and I are downsizing from our property in North Somerset and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being built land that was not decontaminated. A high street North Somerset lawyer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used an internet conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in North Somerset. Having lived in North Somerset for three years we know that this is a non issue. Should we contact our local Authority to obtain clarification need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same ailment)

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

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in North Somerset. 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…’

I am looking at a two flats in North Somerset both have about fifty years left on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in North Somerset is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the marketability of the premises. The majority of purchasers and lenders, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with North Somerset conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Leasehold Conveyancing in North Somerset - Examples of Queries before buying

    The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold title is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the lessees have being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is usually employed if the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. Who is in charge of the block? If a North Somerset lease has no more than eighty years it will have adverse implications on the marketability of the flat. It is worth checking with your bank that they are willing to lend given the lease term. A short lease means that you will probably require a lease extension at some point and it is worth discovering what this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have been the owner of the property for a couple of years in order to be legally able to extend the lease.

I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in North Somerset. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in North Somerset ?

Most houses in North Somerset are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in North Somerset so you should seriously consider looking for a North Somerset conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.

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