Our conveyancer has identified a a legal deficiency with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Dunstable. The seller’s lawyers have offered defective title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor says that he must check that the bank is willing to move forward with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?

Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the lender does not mean to say that the property will meet their provisions for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the lender are the client. The appropriate lender provisions have to be complied with.

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The bank mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to instruct their panel conveyancer as I would much rather appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Dunstable?

You should check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel conveyancers should you accept the "fee-free" deal. Speak to the bank and check if they make available a monetary alternative. Some mortgage companies have previously offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Dunstable.

How straightforward is it to use your search app to locate a conveyancing lawyer in Dunstable on the panel for my lender?

Step one is to pick a mortgage company such as Halifax, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society or Bank of Ireland then choose your location a common one being Dunstable. Conveyancing organisations in Dunstable and across England and Wales should be listed.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Dunstable conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Dunstable conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Dunstable conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?

Dunstable Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries before buying

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? Best to be warned whether fixing the lift or some other significant cost is pending that will be shared amongst the tenants and will dramatically increase the the maintenance charges or necessitate a one time payment. The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders.

I require the services of a lender panel solicitor in Dunstable. Can you assist?

It is not clear why you need a Dunstable panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to the mortgage company to find out which solicitors in Dunstable are on their panel . If you do find such a firm in Dunstable not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month