My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Wolsingham. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Barclays, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Where you plan to re-mortgage then Barclays will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Barclays conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Barclays mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Wolsingham. Do I pick up the keys to the house on the completion date from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Wolsingham?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the seller's lawyers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be able to receive the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen early afternoon.

My wife and I buying a end of terrace house in Wolsingham. We would like to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process include checks to see if these alterations are allowed?

Your conveyancer will check the deeds as conveyancing in Wolsingham can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit categories of alterations or necessitated the consent of a 3rd party. Some additions require local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be prudent to check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Wolsingham. I have a mortgage agreed with Virgin Money. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Virgin Money, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

A relative recommended that where I am buying in Wolsingham I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is usually included in the estimate for your Wolsingham conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Wolsingham around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Wolsingham.

I am using a search engine for the phrase on line conveyancing in Wolsingham it brings up numerous property lawyersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the right conveyancing solicitor for me?

The preferential way of seeking the right conveyancer is through a personal referral, so seek the opinion of colleagues and relatives who have acquired a property in Wolsingham or the respected estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Wolsingham differ, so it's a good idea to secure a minimum of four fee estimates from varying types of conveyancers. Be sure to secure confirmation what costs in the quote includes.

I am looking at a two apartments in Wolsingham both have approximately fifty years remaining on the lease term. should I be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Wolsingham is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the marketability of the property. For most buyers and banks, leases with less than 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Wolsingham conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Wolsingham Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

Make sure you discover if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. For example it is very common in Wolsingham leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Wolsingham. If you like the propertyin Wolsingham but your dog is not allowed to make the move with you then you will be faced hard decision. Its a good idea to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters such as the upkeep of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of their service. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?