We were about to retain a conveyancing solicitor in Woodside Park listed on your site but have come across some other costs illustrations via the web seem less expensive – how come?

You can find plenty of conveyancing organisations promoting alleged cut-price conveyancing, unfortunately it’s common in such cases for supplementalcharges result in the final invoice totally different to the one you expected. Solicitors are duty bound to ensure charges outlined in terms of business should be transparent and reasonable invoiced The law firms that we list for conveyancing in Woodside Park genuinely set out all costs for a residential conveyancing transaction.

We had instructed solicitors located in Woodside Park on the Yorkshire BS solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a separate charge for handling the Yorkshire BS mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Yorkshire BS?

Provided it is contained in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your property lawyer is entitled to levy a fee for this. The charge is not set by Yorkshire BS but by your Woodside Park conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Yorkshire BS panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Clydesdale. Woodside Park conveyancing practitioners were chosen. How long does it take for Clydesdale to send the offer to the conveyancer?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Clydesdale conducted the survey? Have you advised Clydesdale as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Woodside Park. I have a mortgage agreed with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. 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 Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

I decided to have a survey completed on a house in Woodside Park prior to instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. My surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will not grant a mortgage on a flying freehold house.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Woodside Park. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Woodside Park to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Woodside Park. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Woodside Park ?

Most houses in Woodside Park are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Woodside Park in which case you should be shopping around for a Woodside Park conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

After years of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Woodside Park. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

in cases where there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to judgment on the amount due.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Woodside Park residence is Flat 2 2 Netherfield Road in April 2010. The Tribunale held that premium payable for a 90 year extension to the existing Lease should be £7,705. This case affected 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 76 years.

My work colleague mentioned that before selecting a conveyancing solicitors they must be approved by your bank. It happens to be my first home move but I have an AIP via Halifax and I already have a bricks and morter conveyancing lawyer in Woodside Park on standby. Does Virgin Money need an approved solicitor to be selected? Does a list of approved solicitors even exist for my conveyancing in Woodside Park?

You need to instruct a solicitor that is on the Virgin Money panel. The simplest thing to do is call your preferred Woodside Park conveyancing lawyer and ask if they are on the Virgin Money panel. If they are not on the panel you have a couple of options open to you here:

• Carry on with your existing Woodside Park solicitor but Virgin Money will undoubtedly retain a conveyancer from their conveyancing panel. The net impact is additional charges together with likely delay.
• Choose a fresh property lawyer to act in the purchase, not forgetting to check that they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.
• Appeal to your lawyer to seek to join the bank panel.