I plan on acquiring a ground floor flat in Longton. My lawyer is not on the lender conveyancing list. Am I still permitted to retain my Longton conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the mortgage company panel?

One will need to instruct a lawyer to deal with the legal work required when you require a mortgage to purchase your property. The property lawyer will conduct all the necessary investigations on the property, make sure that you will be registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is in place. You could instruct a Longton property lawyer of your choice. Nevertheless, where the solicitor appointed is not a member of the lender solicitor panel additional charges will be levied as separate legal representation will be required by them. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so provided your solicitor has not historically sought membership they should do so.

What does a local search inform me about the property my wife and I buying in Longton?

Longton conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as PSG The local search plays a central part in many a Longton conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your new home. The search should supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen topic sections.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Longton. Conveyancing is daunting 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 legal work.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Longton

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £305k and identified one near me in Longton I like with amenity areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Longton for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this.

I've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Longton. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Longton ?

The majority of houses in Longton are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Longton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Longton conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

I purchased a 1st floor flat in Longton, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2001. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Longton with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2096

You have 71 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.