I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and must vacate my rented property in Ponteland by 27/3/2025. Conveyancing for my house purchase is underway. How realistic is it to complete in three weeks as I wish to avoid having to move into temporary accommodation?

It is unwise to serve notice for your lease unless your lawyer suggests that you should. If you have not already done so, update to your solicitor and urge them to they apply pressure on the other side, try to get a realistic time scale from them that everyone will aim to achieve

Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Ponteland is more expensive?

In short, leasehold conveyancing in Ponteland and Northumberland usually necessitates extra due diligence compared to freehold conveyancing. This includes reviewing the lease, corresponding with the landlord about serving required notices, obtaining current service charge and management information, securing the landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – regardless of the fact the lease has passed through many different property solicitors hands since it was first granted.

When it comes to lenders such as Virgin Money, do Ponteland solicitors face an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any bank fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have a mortgage with RBS for my property in Ponteland. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. If I am intending to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform RBS?

RBS must be informed of your intention prior to letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of RBS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact RBS directly. You need not do this via a RBS conveyancing panel solicitor.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Ponteland conveyancing practitioner having made sure that they are on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays 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. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Ponteland postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Ponteland.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Ponteland?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Ponteland. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Me and myfiance and I are in the market for a quality conveyancing solicitor in Ponteland to assist me in selling my place. I want to avoid being ripped off and there's so many Ponteland conveyancing practices out there...who do I opt for?

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