Me and my fiance are buying a 2 bedroom flat in Headingley with a mortgage. We like our Headingley conveyancer, however the bank advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel firms or retain our Headingley property lawyer and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. Another option that might be available is for your Headingley conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

IfI were to buy a straightforward propertyin Headingley for cash and have no survey and no conveyancing searches how much would I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Headingley?

Any savings you would gain will be isolated to the costs for searches. Your lawyer still be obliged to do everything else - money laundering, correspond with your vendors lawyer, stamp duty return, register the ownership etc. A marginal saving might be made by not having to register a mortgage however it will not be a lot.

Have completed on a a detached house in Headingley , how long will it take for the Land Registry to record the transfer to my name? My Headingley conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be certain that my purchase is recorded.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Headingley registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry must send notices to any 3rd parties. Currently approximately three quarters of such applications are fully dealt with within 12 days but some can be subject to longer hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the purchaser has moved in to the premises therefore an expedited registration is not typically top priority yet where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a house in Headingley in advance of instructing conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. The surveyor has said that some banks tend not grant a mortgage on this type of premises.

It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different instructions from Halifax. If you e-mail us we can check with the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Headingley. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Headingley especially if they are familiar with such properties in Headingley.

I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Headingley. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Headingley ?

The majority of houses in Headingley are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Headingley so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Headingley conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in advising on 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 with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am the registered owner of a ground floor flat in Headingley, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Headingley with a long lease are worth £202,000. The ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2081

With 56 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.