I sincerely hope you can help me. My Penistone solicitor is assuring me that he has toconduct Penistone conveyancing searches resulting from the fact thatthe firm are on the Santandersolicitor panel. Do I not have a choice here?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a mortgage company your solicitor has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your solicitor would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Penistone conveyancing searches.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Penistone I like with a park and railway links nearby, however it's only got 61 years on the lease. There is not much else in Penistone for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

If you require a mortgage that many years will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.

How simple is it to transfer to a new solicitor as I have to select one who is on the Nottingham Building Society conveyancing list. I had appointed a local conveyancing solicitor in Penistone five minutes from me but the firm is not approved by Nottingham Building Society

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Penistone on the Nottingham Building Society panel. Please note that the law firms that we on the directory do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are authorised and regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Penistone. Using search facility on this website, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Penistone.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Penistone. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Penistone ?

Most houses in Penistone are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Penistone in which case you should be shopping around for a Penistone conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

Penistone Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Who are the managing agents? Many Penistone leasehold properties will have a service bill for the upkeep of the building set on behalf of the management company. Where you buy the flat you will have to meet this liability, normally in instalments during the year. This could differ from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common grounds. There will also be a ground rent to be met annual, this is usually not a exorbitant figure, say approximately £25-£75 but you should to check as on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds. You should want to discover as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they will either make living at the property much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily issues such as the tidiness of the common parts. You should not be afraid to ask other tenants what they think of them. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money.

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find a Penistone based one who is on the lender conveyancing panel. Is it practical to instruct different lawyers?

If you haven't yet instructed a conveyancer to commence the conveyancing and at this stage simply received an estimate as to costs, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Penistone that you're considering.