Please help. My Alcester conveyancer is informing me me that she is duty bound toorder Alcester conveyancing searches due to the fact thatthe firm are on the HSBCconveyancing panel. Is my solicitor right?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your solicitor has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your solicitor would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Alcester conveyancing searches.

When does exchange of contracts occur in purchase conveyancing in Alcester and am I required to attend the solicitors branch?

If you are local to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Alcester you are welcome to attend to sign the paperwork. That being said, the lender approved solicitors we recommend provide countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give as equally detailed and professional a job for you when communicating with you electronically. The signing of the contract is not when everything is set in stone. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the solicitor to officially exchange when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is involved, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Alcester)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

I am buying a right to buy a flat in Alcester. Can I do my own conveyancing?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Alcester you will have to appoint a solicitor on your mortgage company's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Alcester.

Last May I purchased a leasehold house in Alcester. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I acquired a ground floor flat in Alcester, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Alcester with a long lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2089

With only 64 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £15,200 and £17,600 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I previously told by my bank that their approved conveyancers work on no sale no charge basis for conveyancing in Alcester. My purchase did not proceed yet the conveyancers have invoiced for search fees! They are stating that the fees are nothing to do with their fees!

Alcester conveyancing search fees are disbursements not legal costs as these are paid to a third party.