We were just about to exchange contracts for a semi detached house in Horwich. We have hit a snag. The mortgage offer with Bank of Scotland expires on 30/3/2026 but the vendors are suggesting a completion date of 1/4/2026. Can one extend the mortgage offer?

The best person to deal with your issue is your lawyer who will calculate if they better off negotiating with the mortgage company, seller’s lawyers, selling agents or indeed all three based on the circumstances your house move to date.

It is is a decade since I purchased my property in Horwich. Conveyancing lawyers have just been instructed on the sale but I am unable to locate the title documents. Will this jeopardise the sale?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be with your lender or they may stored with the solicitor who handled your purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Horwich involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more tricky but is resolvable.

Do I need to pop into the offices of the solicitor to execute the mortgage deed? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Horwich so that I can pop in to their offices when needed.

Most approved lawyers for mortgage companies undertake their communications through the post, internet or over the phone. This enables them to undertake the conveyancing transaction regardless of where you live in the country. However you should see if you can still book an appointment to visit conveyancing lawyer if just in case this is required.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Horwich is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Horwich are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Horwich you would need to get your solicitor to go 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 Horwich may ascertain 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.

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agency in Horwich where we see a few leasehold sales derailed due to short leases. I have received conflicting advice from local Horwich conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

Horwich Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that could increase the service fees? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently employed where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. The majority of Horwich leasehold flats will have a service bill for maintenance of the building set by the management company. If you purchase the property you will have to meet this charge, normally quarterly accross the year. This can be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. There will also be a rentcharge to be met annual, normally this is not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you should to enquire as on occasion it could be surprisingly expensive.