My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Nechells. I need to find out whether they are accepted on the Alliance & Leicester conveyancing panel. Can you advise?

The first thing to do is call the lawyer and enquire if they can act for the bank. Otherwise you should get in touch with Alliance & Leicester who may be able to assist.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Nechells I like with open areas and railway links nearby, however it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Nechells in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

I was pointed in your direction by a few selling agents in Nechells to find a solicitor using your seach tool. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to market your lawyers over a competitor’s?

We don’t make any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Nechells conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Nechells conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Nechells conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be of use:

How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Nechells Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

You should want to discover as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. On a final note, find out the dates that the service fees are due to the relevant party and specifically what it includes. How many years remain on the lease?

How do I identify auction conveyancing in Nechells?

Option 1 is to ask your friends and family they would would seek assistance from. Second, look on the internet for conveyancing in Nechells. Call a couple or more firms from the list and ask them to email you their conveyancing estimate and discuss your needs with the solicitor who will conduct your conveyancing before you commit. Option 3 is to use our search tool to help you find the right solicitors for you based on your unique requirements including location,speed, complexity and who your intended lender is.Resist the temptation to appoint lowest cost conveyancing solicitors in Nechells