Finally, a loan agreement from NatWest for the remortgage of my single bedroom garden flat is expected any day now. Can you suggest a cheap conveyancing lawyer in Hall Green?

You have arrived at the wrong site to search for cut-price fees for conveyancing solicitors in Hall Green. Our aim is to provide cost effective conveyancing but our intention is not to work with the cheapest lawyers. Resist the temptation to appoint organisations offering the bait of ninety nine pound conveyancing in Hall Green. In your best case scenario, in deciding on cheap conveyancing, you will receive what you pay for and at worst you will end up invoiced for extras and still not get the service expected.

The owners have very pushy vendors who has recommended a preliminary agreement with a non-refundable deposit of 5k. Are such agreements sensible?

There are two main drawbacks with signing a lock out contract (occasionally known as a no-shop agreement) is that it can distract from moving forward with the conveyancing work, so in the absence of it needing limited or no negotiation then it could turn out to be unhelpful. It is not strongly advocated amongst Hall Green conveyancing practitioners for this reason. A further negative is the extent of the remedies available - an aggrieved purchaser is extremely unlikely to be granted an injunction to bar the seller completing the sale to another buyer, so the only remedy open via the agreement will be the recovery of wasted costs and, in rare circumstances, the additional payment of penalties.

Is it correct that all Hall Green CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the conveyancing list of approved practices?

It is true that some banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their panels.

When it comes to lenders such as , do Hall Green face an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any bank fees to be on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Hall Green off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with . Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with , you will need to appoint a solicitor on the conveyancing panel.

Am I best advised to instruct a Hall Green conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? An old friend can conduct the conveyancing however they are based approximately 350kilometers drive away.

The benefit of a local Hall Green conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to execute documents, deliver your ID and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local insight which is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust instructed your friend and the majority were impressed that must trump using an unknown Hall Green conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being local.

There are only 62 years unexpired on my flat in Hall Green. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. On the whole a specialist would be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Hall Green.

I purchased a basement flat in Hall Green, conveyancing having been completed 3 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Hall Green with a long lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 50

With only 50 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £36,100 and £41,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.