I have an AIP. The bank mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to use their panel conveyancer as I would prefer to appoint a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Hartlepool?
You should check but the the probability is that appoint one of their panel solicitors if you take up the "fee-free" offer. Contact the mortgage company to determine if they allow a cash alternative. Some banks have previously offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Hartlepool.
We have agreed to purchase a house in Hartlepool. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Skipton have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?
Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions outlined in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook stipulates minimum conditions for solar panel roof-space leases, and property lawyers are required to report to Skipton where a lease does not satisfy these provisions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Hartlepool.
We were going to get a AIP from HSBC this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do HSBC recommend any Hartlepool solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Hartlepool solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the HSBC conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and HSBC through the process.
My offer was accepted on an apartment in Hartlepool on 2/9/2025, valuation was booked 2 days later, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer retained, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Principality and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Principality conveyancing panel. Are Principality entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Principality to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Principality conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
Will our lawyer be asking questions concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Hartlepool.
Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers carrying out conveyancing in Hartlepool. Plenty of people will buy a property in Hartlepool, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.
Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a number of searches that can be initiated by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which can give them a better appreciation of the risks in Hartlepool. The conventional set of property information forms given to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a standard question of the seller to determine if the property has suffered from flooding. If the property has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the vendor, then a buyer may bring a compensation claim stemming from an incorrect answer. A buyer’s solicitors may also conduct an environmental report. This should indicate whether there is any known flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be carried out.
I was advised by a number of selling agents in Hartlepool to find a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to promote your services ahead of another?
We refuse to offer any referral fee for pointing buyers and sellers to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.
My husband and I are new on the property ladder - had an offer accepted, but the property agent informed us that the owners will only issue a contract if we instruct the agent's recommended conveyancers as they want an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street solicitor used to conveyancing in Hartlepool
We suspect that the seller is not behind this ultimatum. If they require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine purchaser is counter productive. Try to communicate with the sellers directly and make the point that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are ready to go, with finances in place © you are chain free (d) you wish to move quickly (e)but you intend to appoint your preferred Hartlepool conveyancing solicitors - rather thanthe ones that will provide their negotiator at the agency a commission or meet his conveyancing figures pre-set by HQ.
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Hartlepool. Before diving in I require certainty as to the unexpired term of the lease.
Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Hartlepool - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
I invested in buying a split level flat in Hartlepool, conveyancing having been completed 4 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Hartlepool with over 90 years remaining are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2077
You have 52 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £29,500 and £34,000 plus legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.