My wife and I are intent on purchasing a flat in Warkworth. My Solicitor is not listed on the mortgage company solicitor panel. Is it possible for me to appoint my Warkworth conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company panel?

One will need to appoint a solicitor to complete the formalities if you need a loan to buy your property. They will carry out all the necessary investigations on the property, ensuring that you’re properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage paperwork is dealt with. You may select a Warkworth conveyancer of your choosing. However, if the solicitor appointed is not on the mortgage company solicitor panel further costs will be levied as separate legal representation will be need by the bank. Lender panel applications may be submitted, so provided your conveyancer has not in the past sought membership they can do so.

Last January we completed a house move in Warkworth. We have noticed several problems with the house which we suspect were overlooked in the conveyancing searches. Do we have any recourse? What searches should? have been ordered for conveyancing in Warkworth?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are unique to conveyancing in Warkworth. Conveyancing searches and investigations undertaken as part of the buying process are designed to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, a property owner fills in a form known as a SPIF. If the information is inaccurate, you may have a misrepresentation claim against the seller for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Warkworth.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Warkworth. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Warkworth

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose?

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in Warkworth I like with a park and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Warkworth in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

If you require a home loan the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £400,000 maisonette in Warkworth in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £336 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Warkworth?

Warkworth conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the buyer’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled to invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I own a 1st floor flat in Warkworth, conveyancing having been completed August 2010. 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? Similar properties in Warkworth with a long lease are worth £195,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2081

With only 62 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £17,100 and £19,800 plus 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 cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.