My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Walkington. I need to find out whether they are on the Accord Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel. Can you or the lender confirm if they are on the panel?

The first thing to do is contact the solicitor and enquire if they are on the lender panel. Otherwise you should call Accord Mortgages Ltd who may be able to assist.

I used Arc property Solicitors a few years past for my conveyancing in Walkington. Now, I need the files but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Walkington of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Walkington. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Walkington

Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Walkington is the location of the property. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Walkington are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Walkington you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Walkington may decide 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.

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Walkington conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Walkington conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Walkington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be useful:

How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation? What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

I am the registered owner of a studio flat in Walkington, conveyancing was carried out May 2003. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Walkington with an extended lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2101

You have 75 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.