I am getting a mortgage offer from Lloyds. I hope to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Blakenhall. Does the Lloyds Conveyancing panel exclude Licensed Conveyancers?

The Lloyds approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

Me and my partner are soon to complete on the purchase of a property in Blakenhall but as a result of wreckage from some water damage at the property I have was able negotiate compensation from the vendor in the sum of £3k by way of a deduction in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process yet Nottingham are not allowing this. Should they have been informed?

Any solicitor being on the Nottingham approved list is obliged to inform Nottingham of any variations to the purchase price. If you were to refuse your lawyer to report the price change to Nottingham then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Nottingham and you would have to appoint a new conveyancing practitioner for your conveyancing in Blakenhall.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Georgian house in Blakenhall. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and HSBC Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Blakenhall and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing practitioner who conducted the work.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one close by in Blakenhall I like with a park and station nearby, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Blakenhall suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

What is the distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Blakenhall?

Conveyancing - in Blakenhall or anywhere in England and Wales - is the process of legally transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you are buying and will help you find out about the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you leverage for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the vendor to fix the defects prior to you complete your move.