Is it the case that all Leigh solicitor practices on the Aldermore conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Aldermore approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the SRA. Some banks do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be overseen by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Leigh conveyancing lawyers were instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Santander?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Santander completed the valuation? Have you advised Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Aldermore are being pedantic. The Leigh solicitor who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Aldermore are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Aldermore have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Aldermore have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Aldermore may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

About to purchase a new build flat in Leigh. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Leigh

Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Leigh is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Leigh are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Leigh you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Leigh may decide 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 premises.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Leigh and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Leigh. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Leigh area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Leigh. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Leigh which have about 50 years left on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Leigh is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the premises. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with less than 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Leigh conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I am the registered owner of a studio flat in Leigh, conveyancing formalities finalised March 2008. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Leigh with a long lease are worth £181,000. The ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2074

With 50 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.