Much to our surprise we have been notified by our broker that my Carmel the law firm I have appointed is not on the bank Solicitor panel. How can I be certain whether this is indeed the case?

Your first step should be to contact your Carmel conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to inform you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a Carmel conveyancing firm that is on the conveyancing panel for your mortgage company.

I have a terraced Victorian house in Carmel. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Lloyds TSB Bank. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the matching address. Is it worth asking Lloyds TSB Bank to clarify?

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Carmel and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Carmel I like with amenity areas and station nearby, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Carmel suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you require a mortgage that many years will likely be an issue. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this.

We're first time buyers - agreed a price, yet the property agent told us that the owners will only proceed if we use the agent's chosen solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer used to conveyancing in Carmel

It is highly unlikely the vendors are driving this. Should the vendor require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Speak to the vendors direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to progress, with finances in place © you are unencumbered (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you intend to appoint your preferred Carmel conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give the estate agent a commission or hit his conveyancing thresholds set by HQ.

Expecting to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Carmel. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Carmel should include some of the following:

The unexpired lease term. You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark Whether your lease provides for a reserve fund? Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring? What you can do if an adjoining owner breaches a clause of their lease? Changes to the flat

I inherited a garden flat in Carmel, conveyancing was carried out 10 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Carmel with a long lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2092

With only 67 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.