My conveyancer has discovered a a problem with the lease for the flat we are buying in Blackley. The other side have put forward title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our conveyancer says that he must check that the lender is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the lender can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

What happens if my solicitor is suspended from the Leeds Building Society Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Blackley?

The first thing to point out is that, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Blackley

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the cheapest Blackley conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a 1st time purchaser of a two bedroom flat in Blackley. Do I pick up the keys to the property on completion from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will instruct a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Blackley?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the purchase money to the vendor’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be invited to receive the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with UBS. I assume I don't need a Blackley conveyancer on the UBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your UBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the UBS mortgage from the register. UBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where UBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. UBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Me and my brother own a semi-detached Edwardian property in Blackley. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Alliance & Leicester . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Blackley and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £350,000 garden flat in Blackley in 8 days. The freeholder has quoted £360 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Blackley?

Blackley conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes more often than not requires the purchaser’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled to levy a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Blackley, conveyancing was carried out December 2011. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar properties in Blackley with an extended lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2091

You have 66 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.