My wife and I have recently appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Ponteland. I need to find out whether they are on the Nottingham Building Society approved list of lawyers. Can you assist?
The first thing you should do is phone your lawyer and ask them if they are on the lender panel. Otherwise please call Nottingham Building Society who may be able to assist.
My relative advised me that if I am purchasing in Ponteland I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is occasionally included in the estimate for your Ponteland conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Ponteland around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Ponteland Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Ponteland Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Ponteland.
Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Ponteland is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?
Flying freeholds in Ponteland are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Ponteland you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Ponteland may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.
I have been recommended by a few estate agents in Ponteland to locate a solicitor using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your site over alternative conveyancing organisations?
We don’t give any referral fee for pointing buyers and sellers in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.
Is it best to choose a Ponteland conveyancing lawyer in close proximity to the house I am purchasing? An old friend can perform the legal formalities however her office is approximately 350miles drive away.
The benefit of a high street Ponteland conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to sign paperwork, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Ponteland know how is a bonus. However it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust instructed your friend and in the main were happy that must trump using an unknown Ponteland conveyancing solicitor just because they are Ponteland based.
What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Ponteland conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ponteland conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Ponteland conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:
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How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
I own a leasehold flat in Ponteland, conveyancing formalities finalised November 2001. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable properties in Ponteland with a long lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2078
With only 52 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £29,500 and £34,000 plus legals.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.