My wife and I are hoping to purchase a 2 bedroom apartment in Downend with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Downend solicitor, however the mortgage company advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or retain our Downend conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to act for them. We consider that this is unjust; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer 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 Downend conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Me and my fiancee are acquiring our first house. Our property lawyer has calledto enquire if we would like to take out extra conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's relevant for conveyancing in Downend
The range of Downend conveyancing searches depends entirely on the premises, the location, the likelihood of any of these risks, your knowledge of the region and risks, your overall appetite to risk. What is important is that you properly understand what information the searches could supply. You may then decide if you consider that you need that search. If in doubt, ask the conveyancer to advise.
I am about to put an offer on a leasehold property in Downend. The estate agents tell me that it is standard for flats in Downend to have less than 75 years remaining. I am obtaining a loan with Accord Mortgages. Is this going to be acceptable if the lease has 70 years to go.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 19/9/2026 the requirements read as follows :
Do I need to take out insurance to address the risk of chancel repairs when purchasing a property in Downend?
Unless a prior purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you can expect lawyers handling conveyancing in Downend to continue to propose a a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
How does conveyancing in Downend differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Downend come to us having been asked by the seller to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is completed. This is because new home sellers in Downend usually purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Downend or who has acted in the same development.
I have just appointed agents to market my garden apartment in Downend. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, however I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge as usual because all rents and service charges should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I purchased a studio flat in Downend, conveyancing having been completed January 2011. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Downend with an extended lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2082
With only 56 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £29,500 and £34,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.