Can you help? My Roker lawyer is assuring me that he has toorder Roker conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Lloydsconveyancing panel. Is my lawyer correct?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your solicitor has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Roker conveyancing searches.

We note that you have a search directory identifying law firms on the Principality conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I retain them for our conveyancing in Roker?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Principality conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Roker.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Roker is where the house is located. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Roker are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Roker you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Roker may determine 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 premises.

I was recommended by a number of selling agents in Roker to select a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial upside for Estate Agents to market your site ahead of alternative conveyancing organisations?

We don’t give any referral fee for sending work our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Roker. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Roker should include some of the following:

Information concerning the obligations as set out in the lease to pay service charges - in respect of the block, and the wider rights a lessee has What remedies are open the freeholder should you have violated the provisions of the lease? Who has the liability to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know which party is liable for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building Ground rent - how much and what the invoice dates are, and be on notice if this will change in the future Does the lease prevent you from letting out the flat, or working from home

Leasehold Conveyancing in Roker - A selection of Queries before buying

This question is useful as a) areas can result in problems in the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to have complete disclosure It is important to be aware if changing the roof or some other significant cost is coming up to be shared amongst the leaseholders and will dramatically impact the level of the maintenance fees or result in a specific invoice. Are there any major works on the horizon that will add a premium to the maintenance charges?