We are purchasing a 3 bedroom flat in Nether Edge with a mortgage. We would like to retain our Nether Edge solicitor, however the mortgage company says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel firms or retain our Nether Edge conveyancing practitioner as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; are we not able to insist that the bank use our Nether Edge conveyancing practitioner ?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Nether Edge conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

I purchased my flat on 7 October and the transaction details is not yet registered. Need I be worried? My conveyancing solicitor in Nether Edge expressed confidence that it should be dealt with inside ten days. Are properties in Nether Edge uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Nether Edge is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than the rest of the country. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can adjust depending on the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry communicate with any interested persons or bodies. Currently roughly 80% of submission are fully addressed in less than three weeks but some can be subject to protracted delays. Historically registration occurs after the buyer has moved in to the property thus 'speed' is not always top priority but if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer should contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

How does conveyancing in Nether Edge differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build premises in Nether Edge come to us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because developers in Nether Edge tend to purchase the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Nether Edge or who has acted in the same development.

I have been advised by a number of estate agents in Nether Edge to select a solicitor on your site. What’s the financial upside for Estate Agents to promote your site over a competitor’s?

We don’t make any financial incentive for sending work to this site. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Nether Edge with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Nether Edge can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Nether Edge state that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you fail to have the approvals to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer first. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check via your conveyancers. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is below 80 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as over rather than unsettled.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Nether Edge - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Please tell me if there are any major works anticipated that could increase the service charges? The majority of Nether Edge leasehold properties will have a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Should you buy the apartment you will have to meet this amount, normally periodically during the year. This may vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant sum, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire as sometimes it can be many hundreds of pounds. What restrictions are there in the Nether Edge Lease?