All was ready to complete my purchase in Seaburn next Thursday. My conveyancing practitioner now wants me to supply her with evidence of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the lender. What risks does the mortgage company expect the insurance to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 requirements. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Seaburn.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Lloyds, do Seaburn lawyers incur an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I am purchasing a property in Seaburn. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Aldermore have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

As your lender is Aldermore your lawyer must check the conveyancing instructions contained in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Aldermore. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Aldermore where a lease fails to satisfy these provisions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not restricted to Seaburn.

I have a mortgage with RBS for my property in Seaburn. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform RBS?

You must advise RBS before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of RBS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact RBS directly. You need not do this via a RBS conveyancing panel solicitor.

Am I better off to go with a Seaburn conveyancing practitioner based in the vicinity that I am buying? I have an old university friend who can execute the legal formalities but his firm is located 300kilometers away.

The primary upside of using a local Seaburn conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to sign paperwork, deliver your ID and pester them where appropriate. Having local Seaburn know how is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who instructed your friend and on the whole were happy that must outweigh using an unfamiliar Seaburn conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Seaburn what are the most common lease problems?

Leasehold conveyancing in Seaburn is not unique. All leases are drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain clauses are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.

You may encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. HSBC Bank, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and TSB all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

Seaburn Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

Does the lease contain onerous restrictions? What is the name of the managing agents?

Is it true that a Seaburn conveyancing firm got sued by a client for failing to conduct the appropriate conveyancing investigations?

Our attention has not be brought to such a Seaburn conveyancing matter but it has been reported that, clients buying a house elsewhere in England successfully won a case against their solicitor due to development permission to build a wind farm failing to be picked up in conveyancing searches.

Where you are purchasing in Seaburn It is important that your conveyancer conduct all Seaburn conveyancing searches required to ensure you have accurate and current information before buying a home in Seaburn.