Our Townhill conveyancer has uncovered a difference when comparing the information in the home valuation survey and what is revealed within the legal papers for the property. My lawyer informs me that he needs to check that the lender is OK with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my solicitor’s stance right?

Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Townhill conveyancing solicitors have been appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Leeds Building Society?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Leeds Building Society conducted the survey? Have you advised Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

My fiancee and I are at the point of viewing flats in Townhill and I am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner in place at this stage? I am planning to take a mortgage with Barclays.

You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes 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 pass their details on to the estate agent. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with Barclays, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Barclays conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

My offer on a house in Townhill has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have put an offer on a property, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other flats booked. I have selected a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Townhill. What do I do now? When should I get the mortgage application with Nationwide going?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (home loan application is approx £1k, then survey, Townhill conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your property lawyer is on the Nationwide approved list. Regarding the next phase this very much depends on the uniqueness of your transaction, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market some buyers would apply for a home loan with Nationwide and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to proceed with the conveyancing in Townhill.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one round the corner in Townhill I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Townhill in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

As co-executor for the will of my aunt I am selling a residence in Newport but live in Townhill. My solicitor (based 235 miles from meneeds me to sign a stat dec ahead of the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing practitioner in Townhill to attest this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are based in Townhill

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Townhill with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Townhill can be avoided where you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ representatives.
If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is a current dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic rather than unsettled. The majority of freeholders or Management Companies in Townhill charge for providing management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Townhill. If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Townhill leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Should you fail to have the approvals to hand you should not contact the landlord without contacting your conveyancer in advance. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable verify this via your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is under 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

Townhill Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

The best form of lease structure is if the freehold interest is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the tenants have control and even though a managing agent is usually retained if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders. How much is the ground rent and service charge? Who takes responsibility for maintaining and repairing the building?