I require conveyancing for a flat in a fairly new development (6 years built) in Dunstable. 95% of the appartments have already been sold. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches for my conveyancing in Dunstable?

Conveyancing Searches are a critical link in the Dunstable conveyancing process. There are a large number of search providers conducting Dunstable conveyancing searches, as well straight from the local authority. These are generally termed personal search providers due to them carrying out, personal searches. Nevertheless, all Local Authority Search conveyancing products have one thing in common - they must obtain their data from the local authoritative source.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Dunstable?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Dunstable. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and found one round the corner in Dunstable I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Dunstable in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 72 years unexpired on my flat in Dunstable. I now want to get lease extension but my landlord is can not be found. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have used your best endeavours to locate the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent would be useful to conduct investigations and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Dunstable.

Dunstable Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying

Its a good idea to discover as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they will either make your life much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours whether they are happy with their management. In conclusion, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the appropriate party and precisely how they are spending that money. The answer will be useful as a) areas could result in problems for the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will want to have full disclosure

My husband and I are hoping to buy a three bedroom ground floor flatin Dunstable with a residential mortgage from a bank. We have a conveyancer in Dunstable however our mortgage company inform us now that she’s not approved on their "panel". Apparently we need to choose one of the our lender panel firms or stay with our Dunstable solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The lender home loan offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that solicitors will on the bank's conveyancing panel. Until recently, most mortgage companies had open panels, including many conveyancing solicitors in Dunstable : a mortgagee could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for your bank.