I am not in a position to travel far from Sawston. Is there a reason why all Sawston aren't automatically on all bank panels?

Pre- 2008 most banks exhibited an attitude to risk which differs from the current day. The Financial Services Authority in 2010 carried out a thematic review into mortgage fraud which in summary warned lenders: know the on your panel. Consequently, mortgage companies have since looked to extract more information from law firms regarding their operations and the staff who work for them and set certain criteria such as completing a minimum number of transactions. Thousands of firms have been removed from lender panels even though they had an exemplary disciplinary record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Many firms found it impossible meet the minimum amount of transactions the mortgage companies required.

I just bought a property at auction in Sawston. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?

Given that you have now for all intents and purposes signed on the dotted line you will need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer as a matter of urgency as you are facing a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the deal. Every auction property should have an associated auction set of papers. This should include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the legal pack should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation relating to leasehold premises. You need to hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. Do make sure that you have funds in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Can you help - my lawyer says that lack of planning permission insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Sawston conveyancing?

The right level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance depends on your lender. It would differ for example between and . Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

When it comes to lenders such as , do Sawston face an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any bank fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Sawston I like with a park and transport links nearby, however it only has 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sawston in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

Given that I am about to spend £400,000 on a two bedroom apartment in Sawston I would like to talk to a conveyancer regarding theconveyancing in advance of giving the go ahead to the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

This is something that we encourage - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor who will be doing your property ownership legalities in Sawston.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a file number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Sawston should be the figure that you are charged.

My wife and I may need to sub-let our Sawston ground floor flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We used a Sawston conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will say if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Sawston do not prevent strict prohibition on subletting – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

Sawston Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

You will want to discover as much as you can about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to day to day matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of their service. Finally, be sure you understand the dates that the service charges are due to the relevant party and specifically how they are spending that money. How long is the Lease? This information is useful as a) areas could cause problems in the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate if maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will need to have complete disclosure