I am need of leasehold conveyancing for an apartment in a fairly new development (seven years old) in Ollerton. Almost all the properties are already occupied. Is it really necessary to order local searches for my conveyancing in Ollerton?

You would be opening yourself up to an unnecessary risk in refusing to carrying out Ollerton conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying mortgage free there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would seriously advise in the strongest possible terms that your solicitor conducts them. If timings and driving down costs are primary issues you should consider with your conveyancer about the options such as contingency insurance available to you

I am purchasing a new build flat in Ollerton. Conveyancing solicitors are said to be ‘a necessary evil’ but can I do it myself?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Ollerton you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Ollerton.

Can I be sure that the Ollerton conveyancing solicitor on the Bank of Ireland panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Ollerton obtaining recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advocate that you speak with the solicitor carrying out your conveyancing.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with HSBC. Ollerton conveyancing practitioners have been instructed. How long does it take for HSBC to forward the offer to the solicitor?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have HSBC done the survey? Have you advised HSBC as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the HSBC conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Skipton. Is it usual for Skipton to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Ollerton is approved on their conveyancing panel? Skipton have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Skipton to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Skipton conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Ollerton prior to retaining lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will refuse to issue a mortgage on this type of premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Nationwide. If you contact us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Ollerton. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Ollerton. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a garden flat in Ollerton, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1995. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding properties in Ollerton with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2085

With 61 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.