It is 10 years ago since I bought my property in Amlwch. Conveyancing solicitors have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to track down the deeds. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. First there is a possibility that the deeds will be retained by the mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who acted in the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Amlwch relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it is more problematic but is not insurmountable.

We decided to purchase a newly converted apartment in Amlwch with a homeloan from HSBC Bank.We like our Amlwch conveyancing solicitor but HSBC Bank says she’s not on their approved list of firms. It seems we are left with no choice but to instruct a HSBC Bank panel solicitor or keep our local solicitor and fork out for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The home loan issued to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that conveyancers needs to be on the HSBC Bank approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find 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. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for HSBC Bank

How difficult is it to change solicitor as I need to instruct one who is on the Nottingham Building Society conveyancing panel. I had appointed a local conveyancing solicitor in Amlwch five minutes from me but he is not approved by Nottingham Building Society

It would be our pleasure to assist you find a conveyancing solicitor in Amlwch on the Nottingham Building Society panel. Please note that the conveyancers that we on the directory do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Amlwch. In utilising search facility on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Amlwch.

We're novice buyers - had an offer accepted, but the property agent informed us that the seller will only move forward if we instruct their recommended conveyancers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family solicitor accustomed to conveyancing in Amlwch

It is unlikely the sellers are behind this. Should the owner desire ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine buyer is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Bypass the agents and go straight to the sellers and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances arranged © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you intend to use your own,trusted Amlwch conveyancing firm - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a referral fee or meet his conveyancing figures demanded by HQ.

I am employed by a busy estate agency in Amlwch where we see a few leasehold sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given contradictory information from local Amlwch conveyancing solicitors. Please can you shed some light as to whether the owner of a flat can start the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

Amlwch Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? What is the length of the lease? How much is the ground rent and service charge?