Much to our surprise we have been advised by our IFA that my Whitby the law firm I have appointed is not on the lender Solicitor panel. What can I do to check?

The sensible course of action for you to take is to call your Whitby lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years ago for my conveyancing in Whitby. Now, I need the documents however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracking down 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 Whitby of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

How do I locate a Whitby solicitor on the conveyancing panel? I have a car and am happy to travel upto 10miles to meet the solicitor.

You can use the search on this page. Please pick a mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Whitby conveyancing lawyers locally. We have listed some Whitby conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can telephone them to verify if they are on the member panel

My father-in-law has suggested that I appoint his lawyers for conveyancing in Whitby. Should I use them?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to choose a conveyancing solicitor is to get referrals from friends or relatives who have actually experience in using the firm that you are considering.

I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Whitby. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Whitby are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Whitby so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Whitby conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

Whitby Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Are there any major works on the horizon that could increase the maintenance fees? In the main the outlay for major works are not incorporated into the service charges, although some managing agents in Whitby ask tenants to pay into a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for larger repairs or maintenance. How much is the annual service fee and ground rent?