Is it correct that all The Meadows CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Skipton conveyancing panel?

Some major lenders now make use of CQS as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Lloyds. The Meadows conveyancing lawyers were appointed. How long does it take for Lloyds to send the offer to the conveyancer?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Lloyds done the survey? Have you advised Lloyds as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I'm spending time looking at flats in The Meadows and I am about to put in an offer. Is it premature to have a solicitor in place? I will be getting a home loan with Nottingham.

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the estate agent. Given that you are getting a mortgage with Nottingham, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

How does conveyancing in The Meadows differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in The Meadows come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is constructed. This is because builders in The Meadows tend to buy the site, 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 property lawyers 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 The Meadows or who has acted in the same development.

I have been recommended by a few estate agents in The Meadows to get a quote from a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your site over and above another?

We refuse to offer any commission for sending work in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in The Meadows. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in The Meadows are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in The Meadows in which case you should be shopping around for a The Meadows conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I bought a garden flat in The Meadows, conveyancing having been completed March 2000. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in The Meadows with an extended lease are worth £176,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2075

With just 50 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

What type of property do your The Meadows conveyancing estimates relate to?

The quotes provided are only relevant to standard residential homes in England & Wales. Should you have any different requirements for example industrial or agricultural land or commercial conveyancing in The Meadows do contact us to address this further .