My financial adviser says he needs my South Brent lawyer’ panel reference for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. What is the best way to discover this. I have tried my local South Brent branch but they cant find it on their system.

You are best placed to get this information from your South Brent solicitor . Most South Brent law practices will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each lender.

We're in South Brent, First timers buying with a mortgage (lender is Barclays , and our lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I got the keys to my flat on 13 February and my personal details is not yet on the land registry website. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in South Brent said it would be registered in a couple of weeks. Are properties in South Brent uniquely lengthy to register?

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in South Brent registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can differ subject to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry have to notify any interested parties. At present approximately three quarters of such applications are fully dealt with in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be longer hold-ups. Historically registration occurs after the new owner has moved in to the premises therefore post completion formalities is not typically an essential issue but where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

My partner has recommend that I use his conveyancing solicitors in South Brent. Do I follow his advice?

No doubt the ideal way to choose a conveyancing lawyer is to seek referrals from friends or relatives who have actually previously instructed the solicitor you're considering.

I am employed by a busy estate agent office in South Brent where we have experienced a few flat sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local South Brent conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the buyer?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

South Brent Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

It would be a good idea to find out if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For example it is fairly common in South Brent leases that pets are not allowed in in a block in South Brent. If you love the apartmentin South Brent however your cat is not allowed to make the move with you then you have a very difficult decision. It would be wise to find out as much as possible concerning the company managing the building as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day matters like the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours if they are happy with them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money. If a South Brent lease has fewer than 80 years it will affect the value of the flat. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out what this will be. For most South Brentlease extensions you would need to own the premises for a couple of years in order to be eligible to extend the lease.