My wife and I are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in Booker with a mortgage. We like our Booker solicitor, but the lender advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or continue with our Booker lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. We regard this is unjust; are we not able to require that the lender use our Booker lawyer ?
No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Booker conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
I have 71 years remaining on my lease and require a lease extension for my apartment in Booker. Conveyancing solicitors on the Platform panel can deal with such extensions correct?
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are securing a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 20/10/2025 the requirements read as follows :
A colleague recommended that where I am buying in Booker I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Booker conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Booker around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Booker.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a simple, chain free conveyancing. Booker is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can impart?
Flying freeholds in Booker are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Booker you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Booker may decide 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.
Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Booker from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?
- A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Booker can be avoided where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ solicitors. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Booker state that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such changes. If you dont have the paperwork to hand do not contact the landlord without contacting your lawyer in advance. If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share document. Organising a new share certificate is often a time consuming formality and slows down many a Booker conveyancing deal. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible. The majority of freeholders or managing agents in Booker charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Booker. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this via your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.
Booker Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing
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What prohibitions are there in the Booker Lease? The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the leaseholders have being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is frequently employed where it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. How is the lease structured?
We are about to exchange on the purchase a house in Booker but as a consequence of damage from the recent storms I have agreed compensation from the current proprietors of £3k taking the form of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process yet the mortgage company will not permit this. Why were they involved?
The conveyancer that is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel is duty bound to advise the mortgage company of any amendments to the sale amount. If you were to refuse your conveyancing practitioner to report the price change to your lender then they would have no choice but to disinstructing themselves from acting for you and the mortgage company.