I am buying property in Wickersley. My Conveyancer is not listed on the lender solicitor list. Can I still continue with my Wickersley conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the mortgage company list of approved lawyers?

You must appoint a solicitor to deal with the formalities when you need a loan to purchase your home. They will conduct all the relevant legal checks on the property, make sure that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the required mortgage documentation is dealt with. You may instruct a Wickersley conveyancer of your choice. However, where the property lawyer selected is not a member of the bank approved list additional costs will arise as separate legal representation will be need by the mortgage company. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so provided your conveyancer has not in the past applied for membership they should take the chance to apply.

As someone clueless as to the Wickersley conveyancing process what is the number one tip you can impart for the legal transfer of property in Wickersley

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Wickersley or throughout South Yorkshire is often a confrontational experience. In other words, when it comes to conveyancing there is plenty of room for conflict between you and other parties involved in the legal transfer of property. For example, the vendor, estate agent and even potentially a lender. Selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing in Wickersley an important selection as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the process whose responsibility is to protect your best interests and to keep you safe.

Sometimes a potential adversary may try and persuade you that you should follow their advice. For instance, the property agent may claim to be assisting by claiming that your lawyer is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may try to convince you to do something that is contrary to your conveyancers recommendation. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Wickersley?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Wickersley. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

How does conveyancing in Wickersley differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Wickersley approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because new home sellers in Wickersley typically acquire the land, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 Wickersley or who has acted in the same development.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Wickersley. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have recently had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear the maintenance contribution as normal because all ground rent and service invoices should be apportioned on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I purchased a 2 bed flat in Wickersley, conveyancing formalities finalised July 1999. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Wickersley with a long lease are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2086

With 60 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.