Is the fact that my conveyancer in Prudhoe is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of the firm’s conveyancing?

That would more than likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Prudhoe conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

I just acquired a house at auction in Prudhoe. Conveyancing is needed. What happens now?

Now that you have legally committed yourself to purchase you now have to appoint a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you now have a pending a fixed date to complete the property. An auction property will ordinarily have a corresponding auction pack. This will likely include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the conveyancing papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You should pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

I am being advised by my lawyer that breach of easement insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Prudhoe?

The right level of breach of easement indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and Barnsley Building Society. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to borrowers take out such policies.

I recently had an offer agreed on an apartment in Prudhoe. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £175. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Co-operative panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

My partner and I are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our house in Prudhoe and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being built land that was not decontaminated. A high street Prudhoe lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the purchasers are using a national conveyancing outfit rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Prudhoe. We have lived in Prudhoe for three years we know of no issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to obtain clarification that the buyers are looking for.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer already. What do they say? You need to check with 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 health insurance to cover that same ailment)

My company is planning to take over a lease of an office on the high street. Can you recommend conveyancers offering fixed charges for non-domestic conveyancing in Prudhoe for below £2000?

We are happy to recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Prudhoe, including the disposal and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. Whether you are looking to buy or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail unit or a whole business we can put you in touch with the right solicitor. As for the charges these will vary based on the structure and nuances of the deal. Let us have your details or phone us so that we can provide you with a detailed commercial conveyancing calculation.

I want to rent out my leasehold apartment in Prudhoe. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

A small minority of properties in Prudhoe do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

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

It would be sensible to discover if the the lease contains any adverse restrictions in the lease. For example plenty of leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Prudhoe. If you like the flatin Prudhoe but your cat is not allowed to live with you then you have a very difficult decision. Who manages the block? Its a good idea to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day issues such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask other people whether they are happy with them. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and precisely what it includes.