It is is a decade since I acquired my house in Bredon. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I can't find the title deeds. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be with your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who acted in the purchase. Secondly in all probability the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. The vast majority of conveyancing in Bredon involves registered property but in the rare situation where your home is not registered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

Are all Bredon Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel?

A selection of lenders now use the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their approved list of firms.

I recently had an offer accepted on a house in Bredon. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an advanced payment of £175. Not long after, the solicitor called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Santander conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Santander panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

About to purchase flat in Bredon. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Bredon solicitor is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel.

Taking into account that I will soon part with £400,000 on a garden flat in Bredon I wish to have a conversation with the conveyancer regarding thehouse move before instructing the firm. Can this be arranged?

We could not agree more - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the lawyer due to be carrying out your conveyancing in Bredon.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique individual, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Bredon should be the figure that you are charged.

As co-executor for the estate of my uncle I am selling a residence in Cardiff but I am based in Bredon. My lawyer (based 300 miles from meneeds me to execute a statutory declaration prior to completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Bredon who can witness this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Bredon based

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Bredon conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Bredon conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Bredon conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be helpful:

How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation? How many lease extensions has the firm completed in Bredon in the last year?

Bredon Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

Please note if it is fewer than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Bredonlease extensions you would need to own the residence for two years before you are eligible to exercise a lease extension. How much is the ground rent and service charge? You should want to find out as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will either make your life much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical issues like the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of their management. In conclusion, find out the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the relevant party and precisely what it includes.