we are a couple who wish to acquire a newly converted apartment in Southborough with a homeloan from Yorkshire Building Society.We have a Southborough conveyancing lawyer but Yorkshire Building Society informed us her practice is not on their approved list of firms. we are left little option but to use a Yorkshire Building Society panel solicitor or retain our preferred solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Yorkshire Building Society use our lawyer?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you contains terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will be on the Yorkshire Building Society approved list. Until recently, most banks had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Yorkshire Building Society
How can we know in advance if a Southborough conveyancing solicitor on the Clydesdale panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Southborough seeking recommendations is a good start. 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 advertising the lowest fees. We would always recommend that you speak with the lawyer conducting your conveyancing.
My offer was accepted on a house in Southborough on 30/3/2026, valuation was booked 4 days later, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Kent Reliance and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
I've digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Southborough solicitor - who is on the HSBC conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?
HSBC will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually HSBC will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancing practitioner will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Southborough postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Southborough.
I have todayfound out that Stirling Law have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Southborough for a purchase of a leasehold flat 10 months ago. How can I check that the property is not still registered in the name of the former proprietor?
The quickest method to see if the premises is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Southborough conveyancing specialists.
I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Southborough I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 years on the lease. There is not much else in Southborough suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?
If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.
I am looking at a two flats in Southborough which have about 50 years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?
There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Southborough is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the premises. The majority of buyers and mortgage companies, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Southborough conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without success. Can a leaseholder make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Southborough conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?
Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Southborough conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Southborough property is 1 Southlands Court Southlands Road in September 2013. The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal determined that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 was £30,541 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 50.57 years.
What is the distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Southborough?
Conveyancing - in Southborough or elsewhere - is the legal term given to transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you’re intending to buy and will help you find out about the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you leverage for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the seller to remedy the problems before you move in.