My previous conveyancer has quoted £1150 for leasehold conveyancing in Bedlington. I am looking to sell a Edwardian detached home for £300,000. Are these conveyancing fees excessive? Is it above the norm for conveyancing in Bedlington?

The charges are a little high. If you are happy to invest time comparing prices you may be able to trim some of the cost by say £125. That being said, you mightcome to regret opting for an an unknown solicitor. Remember to ensure the conveyancer can act for your bank. Do use our search tool to find a Bedlington conveyancing practice on the banks approved list of lawyers which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Bedlington.

I am considering mortgaging my apartment in Bedlington, does my lawyer need to be on the Virgin Money Solicitor panel?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Virgin Money will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is greater potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Bedlington. I now require my file however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Bedlington of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I'm buying a new build house in Bedlington benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The estate agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about this deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with The Royal Bank of Scotland. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

What are the common defects that you come across in leases for Bedlington properties?

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

A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the property A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.

A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Accord Mortgages Ltd, Leeds Building Society, and Alliance & Leicester all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

Bedlington Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries before buying

This information is useful as a) areas may cause problems in the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to have full disclosure It is important to be aware if window replacement or some other major work is coming up that will be shared amongst the leasehold owners and could well materially increase the the service charges or require a specific payment. How long is the Lease?