I am one month into the sale of my house in Cardiff Bay and the estate agent has just e-mailed to advise that the purchasers are swapping law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading mortgage company only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Cardiff Bay ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

Does a directory service exist listing RBS panel conveyancers in Cardiff Bay on the Building Society Association’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lending institutions make their panel listings visible on the web. Where you are seeking to appoint a Cardiff Bay lawyer on the RBS please make the most of our tool.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with HSBC. Cardiff Bay conveyancing lawyers are instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from HSBC?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have HSBC completed the valuation? Have you advised HSBC as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the HSBC conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I have a mortgage with Santander for my property in Cardiff Bay. Conveyancing has been completed some time ago. Should I wish to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Santander?

You must advise Santander before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Santander’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Santander directly. You need not do this via a Santander conveyancing panel solicitor.

I decided to have a survey done on a property in Cardiff Bay prior to retaining solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor advised that some lenders will not grant a loan on a flying freehold premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Cardiff Bay. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Cardiff Bay to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £275,000 maisonette in Cardiff Bay in 5 days. The managing agents has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Cardiff Bay?

Cardiff Bay conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to such questions the majority will be willing to assist. They are entitled to levy a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

Cardiff Bay Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

It would be wise to discover as much as you can regarding the company managing the building as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues like the tidiness of the common parts. Ask other people whether they are happy with their service. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending the funds. Are there any major works in the near future that will add a premium to the maintenance costs? How many years remain on the lease?

I today become aware that one of the partners of the solicitors undertaking the purchase conveyancing in Cardiff Bay is related to the owners that we are purchasing from. Is this permitted?

As long as no conflict arises this should be fine. Where you are needing a mortgage then the bank may have a say as many mortgage companies have specific requirements on this. For example for Leeds Building Society as of 20/1/2025, the requirements read as follows :