As someone not used to the Castleton conveyancing process what’s your top tip you can give me for the legal transfer of property in Castleton

Not many law firms shout this from the rooftops but conveyancing in Castleton and elsewhere in Greater Manchester is an adversarial process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists lots of room for conflict between you and others involved in the transaction. For instance, the vendor, property agent and even potentially a bank. Choosing a lawyer for your conveyancing in Castleton is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONE person in the transaction whose responsibility is to act in your best interests and to keep you safe.

Sometimes a third party with a vested interest will attempt to convince you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For example, the selling agent may claim to be helping by claiming that your conveyancer is dragging his heels. Or your mortgage broker may advise you to do take action that is against your lawyers advice. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Castleton. I I am struggling to find out if they are on the HSBC Bank conveyancing panel. Could you assist?

The first thing to do is e-mail your lawyer and enquire whether they can act for the lender. Alternatively you can call HSBC Bank who may be able to confirm.

We are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Castleton and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. A high street Castleton conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the buyers are using a nationwide conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Castleton. We have lived in Castleton for many years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer already. What do they say? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

I have a 4 bedroom Victorian property in Castleton. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Leeds Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. Is it worth asking Leeds Building Society to clarify?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Castleton and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy 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 completed the work.

I am using a search engine for the words conveyancing in Castleton it brings up many conveyancersin the area. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right conveyancer for my move?

The preferential way of seeking a suitable conveyancer is through a personal testimonial, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have purchased a property in Castleton or the respected estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Castleton differ, so it's advisable to obtain a minimum of three costs illustrations from varying types of property lawyers. Dont forget to clarify that the fees are fixed.