My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Telford. I need to find out if they are accepted on the Coventry Building Society conveyancing panel. Can you assist?

You should call your solicitor and enquire if they can act for the lender. Otherwise you should get in touch with Coventry Building Society who may be able to assist.

There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in Telford but how do I know who I should use?

Do not opt for the lowest Telford conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

Planning on purchasing a house in Telford. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Telford conveyancer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

Nationwide have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a apartment in Telford has been accepted, what happens next?

The property agent will need to be informed of your lawyer's details (ensure that the conveyancers are on the bank’s approved list). Call up Nationwide or your financial adviser and finalise any outstanding documentation. Nationwide will sellect a valuer who will get in touch with the selling agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a fortnight to receive the mortgage offer. Nationwide will send the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Telford.

Should my solicitor be making enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Telford.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Telford. Some people will purchase a property in Telford, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various searches that may be undertaken by the purchaser or by their solicitors which can figure out the risks in Telford. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a usual inquiry of the owner to find out whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If the premises has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a buyer may bring a legal claim for losses stemming from an misleading reply. A purchaser’s solicitors will also carry out an environmental report. This should higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be initiated.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Telford. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Telford

Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

I work for a long established estate agency in Telford where we see a number of leasehold sales jeopardised as a result of short leases. I have received conflicting advice from local Telford conveyancing solicitors. Please can you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can start the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I own a 1 bedroom flat in Telford, conveyancing formalities finalised 5 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Telford with an extended lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2081

With just 57 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £28,500 and £33,000 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.