AssumingI was to buy a simple residential propertyin Batheaston for cash and have no survey and no conveyancing searches how much could I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Batheaston?

Any savings you would gain would be limited to the disbursement for searches. Your lawyer is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, correspond with the vendors lawyer, SDLT submission, register the title etc. You might save a bit for them not needing to register a charge however it will not be a lot.

We hope to to buy with Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. I visited a few local companies but am unable to find a Batheaston conveyancing firm on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society panel. Please you help?

Feel free to take advantage of the search tool on this web page. Pick the mortgage company and type Batheaston or your location and you will be presented with a number of lawyer located in Batheaston or by proximity to you.

We were going to get a DIP from Barclays this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Barclays recommend any Batheaston solicitors on the Barclays conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Batheaston solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Barclays conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Barclays through the process.

It is unclear whether my lender requires a lease extension. I have called into my local Batheaston bank branch on numerous occasions and was reassured it wasn't an issue and they will lend. My Batheaston conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend based on their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

As long as the solicitor is on the mortgage company panel, they must comply with the CML Handbook requirements for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, RBS are being difficult. The Batheaston solicitor who is on the RBS conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but RBS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do RBS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that RBS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why RBS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

There are only Seventy years unexpired on my lease in Batheaston. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have used your best endeavours to find the freeholder. In some cases a specialist may be useful to try and locate and prepare a report which can be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Batheaston.

Batheaston Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

How is the lease structured? Where a Batheaston lease has no more than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the property. It is worth checking with your bank that they are content with remaining years on the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will probably require a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would need to own the property for a couple of years before you are legally able to extend the lease. You should want to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the building as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Ask other tenants what they think of their service. Finally, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending that money.

Our lawyer in Batheaston has discovered a defect with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing in Batheaston. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor says that as he is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel he must check that the lender is happy with this solution. Are we the client or is the bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the lender are the client. A precondition to being on the mortgage company approved panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects will the lease so that the bank can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected . Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.