Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unseasoned as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Rossendale. Do I collect the keys to the property on the completion date from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Rossendale?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s solicitors, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be called to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Rossendale. I have a mortgage offer with Yorkshire BS. 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 use 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 Yorkshire BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.

Kent Reliance have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a house in Rossendale has been accepted, what happens next?

The estate agent will need to know who your solicitors are (be sure the property lawyers are on the lender’s panel). Contact Kent Reliance or the broker and finalise any outstanding forms. Kent Reliance will appoint a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or owners to book an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight to receive the mortgage offer. Kent Reliance will issue the offer to you and your lawyers. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Rossendale.

How do I use the search tool to locate a conveyancing practitioner in Rossendale on the authorised to act for my bank?

1st select a mortgage company such as National Westminster Bank, Skipton Building Society or Bank of Ireland then choose your preferred area such as Rossendale. Conveyancing organisations in Rossendale and across England and Wales should be identified.

We're first time buyers - agreed a price, but the property agent has warned us that the vendor will only move forward if we appoint the agent's recommended lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a high street solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Rossendale

It is improbable the owners are behind this. Should the seller require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is counter productive. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and make the point that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are ready to progress, with mortgage lined up © you are unencumbered (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to instruct your preferred Rossendale conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a introducer fee or meet his conveyancing thresholds demanded by corporate headquarters.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Rossendale from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Rossendale can be reduced if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers’ solicitors.
If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Organising a replacement share certificate is often a time consuming formality and slows down many a Rossendale home move. If a new share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this as soon as possible. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Rossendale state that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. Where you dont have the consents to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor in advance. A minority of Rossendale leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.

I purchased a leasehold flat in Rossendale, conveyancing formalities finalised 4 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Rossendale with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2096

With 71 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

Me and my fiance have recently had an offer agreed on a house and had meeting on Monday with Leeds Building Society for the mortgage. They advised us that when it comes to choosing a property lawyer that if they are not on their approved list of conveyancers then we will have to pay out an extra fee of £250+. This is because they would then have to select a solicitor to act for them as well as the one we select for ourselves and we are liable for their invoice. I have asked Leeds Building Society to send me with a list so I can seek estimates only from their approved conveyancers but was told they dont have such a list to hand over. Is there a simple way of finding out who is on a lender panel?

You should ask Leeds Building Society what their criteria for panel membership is for a conveyancer.Then ask the conveyancing practitioner of your choice whether they fit that criteria and have they acted on loans for Leeds Building Society previously. If the answer to those is yes, then just clarify this with Leeds Building Society. Another option is to use our search facility and we should be able to locate a conveyancing practitioner in Rossendale on the panel for Leeds Building Society.