Is it correct that all Saxilby CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the RBS conveyancing panel?

A selection of lenders now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to remain on their panels.

When it comes to lenders such as Bank of Ireland, do Saxilby conveyancing practitioners have to pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any bank fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Saxilby. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

I am buying my first flat in Saxilby with a loan from Leeds Building Society. The developers would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative told me not reveal to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it may put at risk my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Saxilby prior to instructing conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders tend not grant a loan on a flying freehold property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to call 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 Saxilby. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Saxilby to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

I am looking at a couple of maisonettes in Saxilby both have approximately fifty years remaining on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Saxilby is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the salability of the property. For most purchasers and banks, leases with less than eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Saxilby conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I acquired a basement flat in Saxilby, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding properties in Saxilby with a long lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2086

With 61 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.

I am thinking of using a web based lawyer as opposed to a Saxilby conveyancing practice. Any advice?

There are advantages of having the opportunity to pop in to a local Saxilby conveyancing solicitor such as

• signing documents same day
• often being able to speak to someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for more complex conveyancing
• the ability to complain if things go pear-shaped

When checking fees, look carefully for hidden extras. Most decent Saxilby high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online companies seem to offer cheap fees, yet have burried 'extras' in the fine print.