My Solicitor in Ferndown has never been on on the Britannia Solicitor Panel. Is it possible for me to continue with my prefered solicitor even though they are excluded from the Britannia panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?

Your options are as follows:

1. Complete the purchase with your existing Ferndown solicitors but Britannia will need to retain a conveyancer on their list of acceptable firms. This will inevitably rack up the total legal charges as well as cause delays.
2. Choose an alternative lawyer to to deal with the conveyancing, not forgetting to check they are Convince your solicitor to do everything within their powers to join the Britannia conveyancing panel

A colleague informed me that in purchasing a property in Ferndown there could be various restrictions affecting the ability to carry out external changes to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of anumerous of properties in Ferndown which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Ferndown should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I am buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Ferndown. The intention is to convert the garage to an office at the house.Will legal investigations on the property include checks to determine if these alterations are prohibited?

Your property lawyer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Ferndown can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of works or necessitated the permission of another owner. Many works need local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be prudent to check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

Can I be sure that the Ferndown conveyancing solicitor on the HSBC panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Ferndown seeking recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Ferndown I like with a park and transport links nearby, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Ferndown for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Ferndown. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Ferndown are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Ferndown so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Ferndown conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

Ferndown Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

What prohibitions exist in the Ferndown Lease? Many Ferndown leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building levied on behalf of the freeholder. If you purchase the flat you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly during the year. This can be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common areas. There will also be a ground rent to be met annual, this is usually not a large figure, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire it because sometimes it can be surprisingly expensive. Does the lease have in excess of 82 years remaining?

I am about to complete on the purchase a property in Ferndown but as a result of wreckage from the recent storms I have negotiated reparation from the current proprietors of £2k by way of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process yet the lender will not agree to this. Should they have been approached?

Any lawyer listed on a bank approved list is duty bound to inform the bank of any variations to the purchase price. In the event that you did not allow your conveyancing practitioner to report the reduction to your mortgage company then they would need to discontinue representing you and the lender.