Me and my partner are intending to buy a 3 bedroom apartment in Prudhoe with a mortgage. We have a Prudhoe conveyancer, however the lender advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or continue with our Prudhoe conveyancing practitioner as well as pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel that this is inequitable; are we not able to insist that the bank use our Prudhoe lawyer ?

No, not really. Your mortgage offer 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 Prudhoe conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Me and my fiancee are acquiring our first home. Our solicitor has e-mailedto ask if we wish to take out extra conveyancing searches. As novices we are clueless as to what's relevant for conveyancing in Prudhoe

The number and type of Prudhoe conveyancing searches should be triggered based entirely on the premises, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your knowledge of the area and risks, your overall approach to risk. What is important is that you adequately understand what information each search could supply. Then you can decide if you consider that you need that search. Should you be unsure, ask the property lawyer to explain.

I have justdiscovered that Arc property Solicitors have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in Prudhoe for a purchase of a leasehold flat 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?

The quickest method to check if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Prudhoe conveyancing specialists.

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial premises in Prudhoe and how can you help?

The 1954 Act provides a safeguard to business tenants, giving them the right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy at the end of the lease term. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complicated. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Prudhoe

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £375,000 apartment in Prudhoe next Wednesday. The management company has quoted £384 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Prudhoe?

Prudhoe conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes more often than not necessitates the buyer’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions most will be willing to do so. They are at liberty to levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

Prudhoe Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

If a Prudhoe lease has no more than eighty years it will impact the salability of the property. Check with your lender that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and it is worth discovering how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the residence for a couple of years before you are eligible to exercise a lease extension. Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that could increase the maintenance fees? On the whole the cost for major works tend not to be built into the maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Prudhoe obliged tenants to contribute towards a sinking fund created for the specific intention of building a fund for major repairs or maintenance.