We note that you have a search directory listing firms on the conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I retain them for our conveyancing in Staffordshire?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Staffordshire.

We are planning to purchase with . We have called around locally but am struggling to find a Staffordshire conveyancing firm on the panel. Can you assist?

You should take advantage of the search tool on this web page. Pick the lender and type Staffordshire or your location and you will see numerous conveyancers based in Staffordshire or by proximity to you.

It has been four months since my purchase conveyancing in Staffordshire concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the property from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Staffordshire is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Staffordshire are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Staffordshire you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Staffordshire may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

I am attracted to a couple of maisonettes in Staffordshire which have approximately forty five years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Staffordshire. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Staffordshire - A selection of Queries before buying

Where a Staffordshire lease has fewer than 80 years it will impact the value of the apartment. Check with your lender that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have been the owner of the residence for two years in order to be legally able to exercise a lease extension. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? Does the lease have onerous restrictions?