I have given 2 months notice to my current landlord and have to leave my let out apartment in Middlesbrough by 1/7/2026. Conveyancing on my purchase is progressing. Can I complete in a couple of weeks as I wish to avoid having to find temporary accommodation?
It is unwise to give notice for your lease unless exchange of contracts has taken place. Assuming that you have not previously done so, speak to your conveyancer and request that they cajole the other lawyers, try to a target completion date that all parties will look to achieve
Completed the sale of my flat in Middlesbrough last August yet the purchaser is calling every few hours to say his conveyancer is waiting to hear from myconveyancer. What should have happened now that I have sold?
Post completion of your house sale your conveyancer should forward the transfer documentation and all of the paperwork to the purchaser's lawyers. Depending on the transaction, your conveyancer must also evidence that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been repaid to the buyers conveyancers. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks just for conveyancing in Middlesbrough.
My wife and I have recently appointed a conveyancing solicitor in Middlesbrough. I I would like to check if they are accepted on the Birmingham Midshires conveyancing panel. Can you or the lender confirm if they are on the panel?
The first thing to do is call your solicitor and ask them if they can act for the lender. Alternatively you can call Birmingham Midshires who may be able to help.
We expect to receive a AIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Middlesbrough solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?
You will need to appoint Middlesbrough solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.
Santander have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a house in Middlesbrough has been accepted, now what?
Your estate agent will need to be informed of your conveyancer's details (ensure that the lawyers are on the bank’s approved list). Telephone Santander or the broker and finalise any outstanding documentation. Santander will sellect a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or vendor to book a slot for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes about a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Santander will issue the offer to you and your property lawyers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Middlesbrough.
My offer on a house in Middlesbrough has been accepted, but there is a chain. The vendors have placed an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Middlesbrough. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Clydesdale going?
It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Middlesbrough conveyancing search costs, etc). The first thing to do is check that your lawyer is on the Clydesdale approved list. As to the subsequent stages this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market the majority of home buyers will apply for the mortgage with Clydesdale and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their conveyancing practitioner to press on with searches.
Various web forums that I have frequented warn that are the main reason for hinderance in Middlesbrough house deals. Is there any truth in this?
The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Middlesbrough.
I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Middlesbrough. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.
If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).
I invested in buying a 1st floor flat in Middlesbrough, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Equivalent flats in Middlesbrough with an extended lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2082
With 56 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £29,500 and £34,000 as well as legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.