My fiance and I are purchasing a newly converted flat in Hoole with a mortgage from Lloyds TSB Bank.We use our Hoole conveyancing solicitor but Lloyds TSB Bank says his firm is not listed on their approved list of member firms. we are left little option but to use a Lloyds TSB Bank panel solicitor or retain our preferred solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan issued to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that solicitors needs to be on the Lloyds TSB Bank approved list. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could find 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. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Lloyds TSB Bank

A colleague suggested that if I am buying in Hoole I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Hoole conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Hoole around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Hoole Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Hoole.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Hoole prior to instructing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor has said that some lenders may not issue a loan on such a premises.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Hoole. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Hoole to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Hoole from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Hoole can be avoided if you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ representatives.
If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming formality and frustrates many a Hoole home move. Where a new share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity. If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where a dispute is unresolved. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as over as opposed to unsettled. Many freeholders or Management Companies in Hoole levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Hoole.

Hoole Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

It would be wise to find out as much as you can about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily issues like the upkeep of the common parts. Ask other people what they think of them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the appropriate party and precisely how they are spending that money. It would be a good idea to investigate if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Hoole. If you like the propertyin Hoole however your dog is not allowed to live with you then you have a very difficult compromise. The answer will be helpful as a) areas could cause problems in the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where services are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will want to know about it

I am due to consider quotes for conveyancing in Hoole from three conveyancing practitioner and choose one. Am I right to tell them to sit tight until I I have an offer accepted on a flat.

We suggest that you only ask your conveyancing practitioner to commence work and order searches once the offer has been accepted on the property especially as Hoole conveyancing searches are costly.