I am expecting a offer of a home loan from Lloyds. I hope to enlist the help of a Licensed Conveyancer in Shildon. Does the Lloyds Solicitor panel allow for Licensed Conveyancers?

The Lloyds approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

How does conveyancing in Shildon differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Shildon contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is ready to move into. This is because builders in Shildon tend to acquire the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Shildon or who has acted in the same development.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Shildon in advance of appointing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor advised that some banks tend not give a mortgage on this type of premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Shildon. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Shildon to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Shildon. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they will have a report out to me next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

The unexpired lease term. You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark You should receive a copy of the lease Repair and maintenance of the premises Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring? Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or having a home office for business

I invested in buying a split level flat in Shildon, conveyancing having been completed December 2004. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Shildon with a long lease are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2085

You have 60 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £20,000 and £23,000 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

My friend mentioned that when choosing a conveyancing lawyer they need approved by your mortgage company. This is my first home move but I have an offer in principle from Birmingham Midhshires and I already have a local conveyancing lawyer in Shildon lined up. Can Santander need an approved solicitor to be selected? If so, where can I find that list so I can appoint a conveyancing lawyer in Shildon?

You should use a solicitor that is on the Santander panel. The simplest thing to do is telephone your preferred Shildon conveyancing solicitor and ask if they are on the Santander panel. If they are not approved you have numerous alternatives available to you here:

• Carry on with your preferred Shildon conveyancer but Santander will undoubtedly appoint a property lawyer from their conveyancing panel. The net impact is additional fees together with probable delay.
• Choose a new conveyancer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the Santander conveyancing panel.
• Convince your property lawyer to pull out all the stops to join the Santander conveyancing panel.