I am getting a mortgage offer from Halifax. I would like to use a Licensed Conveyancer in Whiteley. Does the Halifax Conveyancing panel allow for conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Halifax approved solicitor list 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 buying a new build apartment in Whiteley. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Whiteley

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Whiteley ahead of instructing lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the property. The surveyor advised that some mortgage companies may not give a loan on such a house.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further with the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Whiteley. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Whiteley to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

What tools are available to identify a Whiteley solicitor on the conveyancing panel? I am a keen cyclist and am willing to travel upto 20kilometers to meet the conveyancer.

You can use the tool on this website. Please choose the mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Whiteley conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have detailed some Whiteley conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can contact them to check whether they are on the panel

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Whiteley which have about forty five years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Whiteley is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the salability of the premises. The majority of purchasers 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 premises 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 premises 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 Whiteley conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed 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.

Whiteley Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

What is the service charge and ground rent on the flat? Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments? Many Whiteley leasehold flats will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the building invoiced by the freeholder. Where you acquire the flat you will have to meet this charge, usually in instalments throughout the year. This may be anything from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant sum, say approximately £50-£100 but you should to enquire it because sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds.