Can I be sure that the Tower Hill conveyancing solicitor on the Yorkshire BS panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Tower Hill seeking recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always advise that you speak with the lawyer conducting your transaction.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Tower Hill. I have a mortgage agreed with Santander. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Santander, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Skipton are being a right pain. The Tower Hill solicitor who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Skipton are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Skipton have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Skipton have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Skipton may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I understand that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I require chancel insurance when acquiring a residence in Tower Hill? or I am told that there is a law dating back centuries that means some house owners living in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards maintenance towards the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this appropriate for conveyancing in Tower Hill?

Unless a previous acquisition of the house completed after 12 October 2013 you may expect conveyancing practitioners handling conveyancing in Tower Hill to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one round the corner in Tower Hill I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 61 years on the lease. There is not much else in Tower Hill suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Tower Hill conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Tower Hill conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you talk with two or three firms including non Tower Hill conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in Tower Hill who can give a testimonial? How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

I am the proprietor of a basement flat in Tower Hill. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?

Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Tower Hill conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Tower Hill residence is 1-41 Royal Tower Lodge 40 Cartwright Street in April 2013. the tribunal adding the agreed value of capitalised ground rents and the reversion the price to be paid for the freehold was £1,187,000 This case was in relation to 41 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 107 years.

I'm selling a property in Tower Hill. I have found my conveyancer's company on the Law Society's list, but I can't find my conveyancer's name as listed on the regulator's website. Is this a big problem?

Not every individual in the practice must be listed by the regulator. As long there is someone qualified to 'oversee' the work, the actual day-to-day activity can be undertaken by unqualified staff.