My wife and I have arranged the release of further funds on our home loan from Co-operative as we intend to carry out a loft conversion to our home in Whitchurch. Are we obliged to choose a local Whitchurch solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Co-operative would not normally instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.

I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Whitchurch. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their conveyancing practitioner. I paid an on account payment of £150. Soon after, the lawyer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Clydesdale panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Planning on purchasing a house in Whitchurch. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Whitchurch property lawyer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that could affect a commercial site in Whitchurch?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Whitchurch will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Whitchurch. The report sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Whitchurch.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Whitchurch it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately could cause delays to Whitchurch commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Whitchurch.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Whitchurch prior to appointing conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor advised that some mortgage companies will not issue a mortgage on this type of house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Whitchurch. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

What does commercial conveyancing in Whitchurch cover?

Commercial conveyancing in Whitchurch incorporates a wide array of services, given by regulated solicitors, relating to business property. For example, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the assignment of existing business tenancies or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of tenancies.

We expect to complete the disposal of our £250,000 maisonette in Whitchurch next week. The management company has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Whitchurch?

Whitchurch conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually involves the purchaser’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They are at liberty to charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

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

Are there any major works in the planning that could add a premium to the maintenance fees? The prefered form of lease arrangement is if the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this arrangement the lessees have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually employed where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. Where a Whitchurch lease has fewer than 80 years it will impact the salability of the property. Check with your lender that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the property for 24 months before you are entitled to extend the lease.