Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Studley. Is there a reason why all Studley solicitors are not on all lender panels?

Mortgage companies highlight the fact that solicitor-led fraud is thought to be responsible for millions of pounds of fraud annually.The removal of law firms off of lender panels started with the rise in mortgage fraud, which prompted a thematic review by the FSA in 2011. Its conclusions included recommendations for lending institutions to review their conveyancing panels, which kicked off a major policy change in the sector. It led to banks and building societies removing less reputable firms from their books of approved conveyancers .

I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Studley but still invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Studley and has limited impact for conveyancing in Studley but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be extinguished.

This question may be naive but I am unexperienced as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Studley. Do I pick up the keys to the house on completion from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will appoint a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Studley?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the owner’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you will be invited to collect the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.

Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Studley solicitor - who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Aldermore will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Aldermore will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Studley postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Aldermore, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Studley.

I have finally had an offer on a maisonette in Studley agreed to, the sellers do nevertheless have a tied purchase. The sellers have offered on somewhere, but it’s not been accepted yet, and are looking at other apartments booked. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Studley. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with Lloyds going?

It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Studley conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your property lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Concerning the subsequent stages this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market some purchasers will apply for the mortgage with Lloyds and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they request their property lawyer to proceed with searches.

I appreciate that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I need this when buying a residence in Studley? or Apparently there is a law dating back centuries that means some house owners residing in a parish church boundary will be compelled to pay for repairs towards the chancel within the church. Is this applicable for conveyancing in Studley?

Unless a prior acquisition of the property took place after 12 October 2013 you can expect lawyers delivering conveyancing in Studley to continue to suggest a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.

I have todaybecome aware that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Studley for a purchase of a freehold house 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?

The quickest way to see if the property is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Studley conveyancing specialists.