Why do I have to pay up front for my conveyancing in Lees?

If you are buying a property in Lees your lawyer will request that you put them with monies to cover the search fees. Ordinarily this is asked for to cover the fees of the conveyancing searches. If any deposit is payable against the total price then this will be asked for shortly prior to exchange of contracts. The final balance that is needed should be sent to your lawyer a couple of days prior to the completion date.

Is it the case that all Lees CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Nationwide conveyancing list of approved practices?

It is true that some banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

is it true that all Lees solicitor firms on the HSBC conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel they would need to be overseen by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many lenders do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the firms would be governed by the CLC.

I am expecting a DIP from Bank of Ireland this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Bank of Ireland recommend any Lees solicitors on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Lees solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Bank of Ireland through the process.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Lees I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Lees in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

How do I use the search facility to choose a conveyancing practitioner in Lees on the approved list for my lender?

Step one is to select a lender such as Lloyds TSB Bank, Skipton Building Society or Nottingham Building Society then specify your preferred area for instance Lees. Conveyancing organisations in Lees and nationally will then be shown.

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Lees. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Lees - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Lees Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

The answer will be important as a) areas may result in problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the tenants have an issue with the running of the building you will wish to have all the details What restrictions are there in the Lees Lease? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments?