My wife and I are buying a apartment in Wilberfoss. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? On the day of competition we will need to put our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I am purchasing a property in Wilberfoss. An unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Santander have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

Given that your lender is Santander your lawyer must check the formal requirements set out in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Santander. The CML Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Santander where a lease fails to comply with these specifications. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to Wilberfoss.

I recently had an offer agreed on an apartment in Wilberfoss. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £200. A few days later, the property lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Coventry BS 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 Coventry BS 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.

How does conveyancing in Wilberfoss differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Wilberfoss approach us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is constructed. This is because new home sellers in Wilberfoss tend to 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 property lawyers 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Wilberfoss or who has acted in the same development.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Wilberfoss is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Wilberfoss are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Wilberfoss you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Wilberfoss may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Wilberfoss and how can your lawyers assist?

The particular law that you refer to affords security of tenure to commercial lessees, giving them the right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing solicitors who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Wilberfoss

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

In a situation 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 inherited a 1st floor flat in Wilberfoss, conveyancing having been completed in 2008. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Wilberfoss with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease ceases on 21st October 2077

With only 55 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. 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 taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.