Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Alston is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?

It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Alston conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

I used Action Conveyancing a few years ago for my conveyancing in Alston. Now, I need my documents but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Alston of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Alston. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Alston

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme.

What makes a Alston lease defective?

Leasehold conveyancing in Alston is not unique. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Alliance & Leicester all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I invested in buying a garden flat in Alston, conveyancing was carried out March 2004. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Alston with over 90 years remaining are worth £179,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2081

With only 57 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £26,600 and £30,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.

Am in the process of purchasing my first home in Alston. Conveyancing solicitor already selected. The financial consultant suggested that a survey is not needed as the house was only built 16 yrs ago.

You would be best advised to undertake a Home Buyer's Report. As the premises was constructed over a decade ago the property will be without a warranty, so you don't want to take a risk. For a property that age with no signs of defects a Home Buyer's report could suffice. The report should highlight any apparent issues and suggest further investigation where relevant. Where there are any indications of material issues get a comprehensive Building Survey from the beginning.