I am purchasing a ground floor flat in Hadleigh. My Solicitor is not on the mortgage company approved panel. Is it possible for me to retain my Hadleigh conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the bank list of approved lawyers?

You have a number of options open to you here

• Carry on with your existing Hadleigh lawyer but your mortgage company will no doubt retain a conveyancer from their approved list. This will result in additional cost and probable frustration.
• Choose a new property lawyer to act in the purchase, making sure they are on the lender conveyancing panel.
• Convince your property lawyer to apply to join the bank panel

My lawyer has uncovered a a problem with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Hadleigh. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our property lawyer has advised that he must check that the lender is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your conveyancing practitioner must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. 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.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one round the corner in Hadleigh I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it only has 61 years on the lease. There is not much else in Hadleigh in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Hadleigh. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Hadleigh are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Hadleigh in which case you should be looking for a Hadleigh conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

Hadleigh Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

Its a good idea to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day issues like the tidiness of the common parts. Ask other tenants whether they are happy with their management. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. It is important to be aware if changing the roof or some other significant cost is due in the near future that will be shared by the leaseholders and could well materially impact the level of the service costs or require a one off payment. How long is the Lease?

We yesterday become aware that one of the directors of the law firm acting on the purchase conveyancing in Hadleigh is an aunty of the owners that we are buying from. Is this permitted?

As long as there is no conflict of interest this is allowable. Where you are needing a home loan then the mortgage company may have a say as many lenders have specific instructions on this. For example for RBS - Direct Line as of 31/1/2026, the requirements read as follows :