My husband and I are hoping to purchase a 2 bedroom apartment in Lydiate with a mortgage. We like our Lydiate lawyer, however the mortgage company advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel firms or retain our Lydiate and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms 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 Lydiate conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Do the conveyancing lawyers listed on your site perform conveyancing in Lydiate by way of an attended exchange?

There are a few conveyancing specialists who can conduct one day exchanges. You should contact us to secure a costs illustration and details as to availability.

I am buying a new build flat in Lydiate. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Lydiate

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal.

There are only 68 years left on my lease in Lydiate. I now want to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to track down the freeholder. In some cases an enquiry agent may be useful to carry out a search and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Lydiate.

Lydiate Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

How long is the Lease? It is important to be aware whether window replacement or some other significant cost is pending that will be shared amongst the tenants and may well materially impact the level of the maintenance charges or require a specific invoice. It would be sensible to find out as much as you can regarding the managing agents as they can either make your living at the property much easier or a lot more difficult. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day issues like the cleanliness of the communal areas. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of their management. Finally, find out the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money.

Is it true that a Lydiate conveyancing company has court proceedings brought against them by a client for not carrying out the appropriate conveyancing investigations?

We are not aware of such a Lydiate conveyancing matter but it has been reported that, clients acquiring a house in Cumbria successfully sued their due to development plans to build a wind farm not being picked up in conveyancing searches.

If you are buying in Lydiate It is critical that your carry out all Lydiate conveyancing searches required to ensure you have relevant and up to date information ahead of buying a home in Lydiate.