I am soon to exchange buying a property in Whitmore but as a consequence of damage from a small fire at the property I have was able negotiate reparation from the owner of six thousand pounds by way of a deduction in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of amending the contract however Clydesdale are not allowing this. Why were they involved?

The lawyer being on a Clydesdale approved list is required to disclose to Clydesdale of any changes to the sale price. If you were to refuse your solicitor to disclose the reduction to Clydesdale then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Clydesdale and you would have to appoint a new conveyancing practitioner for your conveyancing in Whitmore.

We note that you have a search directory listing firms on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I retain them for our conveyancing in Whitmore?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Whitmore.

I am considering mortgaging my apartment in Whitmore, does my lawyer have to be on the Nottingham Conveyancing panel?

In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Nottingham conveyancing panel, but Nottingham would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same transaction.

Should my lawyer be raising enquiries concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Whitmore.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Whitmore. There are those who buy a property in Whitmore, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various searches that may be undertaken by the buyer or by their lawyers which should figure out the risks in Whitmore. The conventional set of information sent to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a standard question of the owner to find out whether the property has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the seller, then a purchaser may issue a legal claim for losses resulting from an inaccurate response. A purchaser’s lawyers will also commission an environmental report. This should reveal if there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations will need to be made.

Last May I purchased a leasehold house in Whitmore. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a garden flat in Whitmore, conveyancing was carried out January 1999. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Whitmore with over 90 years remaining are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2084

With 59 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £20,900 and £24,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.