I have Fifty Six years unexpired on my lease and need a lease extension for my apartment in Heswall. Conveyancing solicitors on the Accord Mortgages panel can deal with such extensions correct?

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 22/2/2025 the requirements read as follows :

This question may be naive but I am new to the home buying as FTB of a ground floor flat in Heswall. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on completion from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will appoint a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Heswall?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will arrange to send the purchase money to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be called to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Heswall off the council. I have a mortgage offer with TSB. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the TSB conveyancing panel.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Heswall. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR with full details of your complaint.

I'm buying a new build house in Heswall benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative told me not disclose to my lawyer about the deal as it would affect my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Heswall is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Heswall are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Heswall you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Heswall may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

I was advised by a few property agents in Heswall to choose a property lawyer on your site. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to market your lawyers rather than alternative conveyancing organisations?

We refuse to make any commission for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.