I am considering applying for a Yorkshire BS mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Middleton with 65 per cent LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Yorkshire BS ?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Yorkshire BS will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

We are purchasing a house in Middleton. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? On completion day we will need to deposit money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

A colleague pointed out to me me that in purchasing a property in Middleton there could be various restrictions affecting the ability to carry out external changes to the property. Is this right?

There are a number of properties in Middleton which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Middleton should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

We had instructed solicitors with offices in Middleton on the Principality solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me a further amount for the legal aspects of the Principality mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by Principality?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer can levy a fee for this. The charge is not dictated by Principality but by your Middleton conveyancer. Numerous firms on the Principality panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one near me in Middleton I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Middleton suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

I would like to sublet my leasehold flat in Middleton. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in Middleton do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting consent.

Middleton Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Does the lease have onerous restrictions? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants enjoy being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is often employed where it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders.

My husband and I have agreed a price on a Middleton flat we inherited 5 years ago in 2012. I have over a decades worth of conveyancing know-how and, although retired, see no reason not to carry out the conveyancing. The purchaser's conveyancing practitioner has informed me that their mortgage company will not allow us to do our own conveyancing mandating that the funds to be released via a solicitor's bank account.

Lending instructions to property lawyers from all CML members specify that If the vendor does not have legal representation the purchaser’s lawyers should check whether the mortgage company needs to be told so that a decision can be reached as to whether they are prepared to progress.