Me and my partner are purchasing our first property. The lawyer has messagedto check if we want to purchase additional conveyancing searches. Unfortunately we have no idea as to what's needed for conveyancing in Litherland

The scope of Litherland conveyancing searches should be triggered based entirely on the premises, the location, the probability of any of these risks, your familiarity of the area and risks, your general attitude to risk. What is important is that you adequately appreciate what information each search could supply. Then you can make a decision if you consider that you need that search. If uncertain, ask your property lawyer to advise.

My mortgage company has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Litherland but I would rather choose a conveyancing lawyer in Litherland or nearer to where I live. Are you able to help?

Far from all Litherland conveyancing solicitors are approved and listed on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Use our search tool to identify a Litherland conveyancing solicitor on the on the lender panel.

I am expecting a OIP from Yorkshire BS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Yorkshire BS recommend any Litherland solicitors on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Litherland solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Yorkshire BS through the process.

Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Litherland solicitor - who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Co-operative will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Co-operative will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Litherland surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

My offer on a property in Litherland has been agreed to, the sellers do however have a tied purchase. The sellers have offered on somewhere, however it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have selected a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Litherland. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with TSB going?

It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Litherland conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must check that your solicitor is on the TSB approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market many purchasers will apply for a home loan with TSB and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their conveyancer to move forward with searches.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial premises in Litherland?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Litherland will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers spend in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Litherland. The search result provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Litherland.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Litherland it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Litherland commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not carried out for domestic conveyancing in Litherland.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Litherland with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Litherland can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers’ conveyancers.
If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to 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 will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic rather than unsettled. A minority of Litherland leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

I own a split level flat in Litherland, conveyancing having been completed March 2009. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Litherland with over 90 years remaining are worth £260,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease finishes on 21st October 2098

With only 74 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.