My financial adviser has requested my Birtley solicitor’s panel reference for the Santander conveyancing panel. How do I discover this. I have called my local Birtley office but they cant find it on their system.

You are best placed to get this information from your Birtley property lawyer . Most Birtley conveyancing firms will retain a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each mortgage company.

What is the first thing I need to know about purchase conveyancing in Birtley?

Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Birtley or throughout Tyne And Wear is often a confrontational experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of opportunity for confrontation between you and others involved in the transaction. For instance, the vendor, property agent and on occasion your bank. Choosing a solicitor for your conveyancing in Birtley is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE party in the process whose responsibility is to protect your best interests and to keep you safe.

We are witnessing a distinct emergence of a "blame" culture- someone must be at fault for the process taking so long. We recommend that you your first instinct should be to trust your conveyancer above the other players when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

Will my conveyancer be making enquiries concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Birtley.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Birtley. There are those who buy a house in Birtley, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a various checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will figure out the risks in Birtley. The standard property information forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a usual question of the seller to determine whether the property has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred and is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser may issue a legal claim for losses stemming from an inaccurate response. A purchaser’s solicitors should also conduct an enviro report. This should disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be conducted.

I am buying a new build apartment in Birtley. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Birtley

The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Please supply a car parking plan. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. 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. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

My offer on property in Birtley was agreed to, but there is a chain. The current proprietors have offered on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and has viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Birtley. What do I do now? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Yorkshire BS?

It is standard to have anxieties where there is an associated chain given your reluctance to incur costs prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Birtley conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should check that your property lawyer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. Concerning the subsequent steps this very much depends on the specifics of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some purchasers will apply for a home loan with Yorkshire BS and arrange for the survey and only if it comes back ok would they pay their property lawyer to proceed with searches.