I am expecting a mortgage offer from Halifax. I intend to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Ashby de la Zouch. Does the Halifax Conveyancing panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?
The Halifax conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.
I am considering applying for a Virgin Money mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Ashby de la Zouch with 60% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Virgin Money ?
In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, but Virgin Money would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.
Various internet forums that I have frequented warn that are the primary cause of delay in Ashby de la Zouch conveyancing transactions. Is this right?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the most frequent causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are unlikely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Ashby de la Zouch.
Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Ashby de la Zouch?
Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Ashby de la Zouch. 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…’
I work for a busy estate agent office in Ashby de la Zouch where we have experienced a few flat sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Ashby de la Zouch conveyancing firms. Please can you clarify whether the seller of a flat can start the lease extension process for the buyer?
As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
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 buyer.
I own a ground floor flat in Ashby de la Zouch, conveyancing having been completed 10 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Equivalent flats in Ashby de la Zouch with a long lease are worth £216,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2093
With just 68 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.
We have just discovered that one of the partners of the solicitors undertaking the purchase conveyancing in Ashby de la Zouch is is the brother of the vendor. Is this acceptable?
Provided no conflict arises this is permitted. If you are obtaining mortgage finance then the lender may have a say as many mortgage companies have specific requirements concerning this. For example for Lloyds TSB Scotland as of 11/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :