Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Walkington. Conveyancing is necessary. What are my next steps?

Having to in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you should choose a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you now have a fast approaching a drop dead date to complete the property. An auction property should have an associated legal pack. This will include most,if not all of the documents that your lawyer requires. If you have purchased leasehold property the conveyancing papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing documentation relating to a leasehold property. You need to pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in order to complete on the date specified in the contract.

We had appointed conveyancers based in Walkington on the Aldermore solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a separate fee for the legal aspects of the Aldermore mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Aldermore?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your solicitor may charge a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Aldermore but by your Walkington conveyancing practitioner. Some firms on the Aldermore panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

Clydesdale have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a property in Walkington has been accepted, now what?

The property agent will need to know who your solicitors are (make sure the conveyancing practitioners are on the lender’s approved list). Telephone Clydesdale or your financial adviser and finalise any outstanding documentation. Clydesdale will sellect a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a week for the mortgage offer to be issued. Clydesdale will issue the offer to you and your property lawyers. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Walkington.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Walkington is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can impart?

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 diligently. 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 residence.

I have been recommended by a few property agents in Walkington to select a property lawyer on your site. What’s the financial upside for Estate Agents to recommend your services over and above another?

We refuse to make any commission for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

In searching the world wide web for the term conveyancing in Walkington it shows results of numerous property lawyerslocally. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancing solicitor for my move?

The ideal way of seeking the right conveyancer is through a trusted testimonial, so seek the counsel of colleagues and relatives who have acquired a property in Walkington or a local estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Walkington vary, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of three costs illustrations from different property lawyers. Be sure to secure confirmation that the fees are fixed.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Walkington with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Walkington can be reduced where you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers’ lawyers.
If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is unresolved. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as over rather than ongoing. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is below 80 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Walkington leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. Where you fail to have the paperwork to hand you should not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer before hand. A minority of Walkington leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.

I purchased a studio flat in Walkington, conveyancing formalities finalised November 1995. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Walkington with an extended lease are worth £192,000. The ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2079

With just 54 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.