My husband and I are buying a newbuild flat in Hampden Pk with a loan from Barclays .We would like to retain our Hampden Pk conveyancing solicitor but Barclays informed us her practice is not listed on their approved list of member firms. we are left little option but to use a Barclays panel solicitor or keep our high street solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; Can we not simply insist that Barclays use our lawyer?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan offered to you contains terms and conditions, one of which will be that conveyancers needs to be on the Barclays solicitor panel. Until recently, most banks had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Barclays

What will a local search reveal regarding the house I am buying in Hampden Pk?

Hampden Pk conveyancing often commences with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company such as Xpress Legal The local search plays an important role in many a Hampden Pk conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any unpleasant once you have moved into your new home. The search will supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject areas.

I am buying a new build house in Hampden Pk with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative advised me not disclose to my lawyer about this side-deal as it would put at risk my loan with the bank. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a house in Hampden Pk ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the property. The surveyor advised that some banks tend not grant a mortgage on this type of house.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different requirements for example to Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can check via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Hampden Pk. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Hampden Pk which have approximately 50 years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Hampden Pk is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the marketability of the property. The majority of buyers and lenders, leases with less than 75 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 Hampden Pk conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending 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.

I inherited a 2 bed flat in Hampden Pk, conveyancing was carried out in 2000. 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? Equivalent properties in Hampden Pk with a long lease are worth £195,000. The ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2088

With only 63 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £16,200 and £18,600 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.