I am expecting a offer of a home loan from Nat West. I would like to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Cotham. Does the Nat West Solicitor panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Nat West approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

My wife and I are getting closer to an exchange on a house in Cotham and my mum and dad have sent the 10% deposit to my conveyancing practitioner. I am now advised that as the deposit has been received from someone other than me my property lawyer needs to disclose this to my lender. Apparently, in also acting for the mortgage company he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I informed the bank about my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really necessary for this now to delay the deal?

Your lawyer is legally required to clarify with the bank to ensure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. The solicitor can only report this to your mortgage company if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

How do I use the search facility to find a conveyancing lawyer in Cotham on the approved list for my bank?

1st pick a lender such as National Westminster Bank, Bank of Scotland or Clydesdale then choose your location a common one being Cotham. Conveyancing firms in Cotham and across England and Wales should be listed.

What makes a Cotham lease problematic?

Leasehold conveyancing in Cotham is not unique. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are erroneous. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts. Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You will encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Santander, Leeds Building Society, and TSB all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Cotham, conveyancing formalities finalised May 1999. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Cotham with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease ceases on 21st October 2096

With 71 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

I have just had an offer accepted on a leasehold flat in Cotham and the mortgage adviser that we are dealing with suggested his lawyer. He quoted nine hundred pounds including VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound like a good deal?

Don't just go on 1 quote. One should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Cotham. Then pick one that you are comfortable with and just as important, is on the approved list of the mortgage company that you are sourcing your mortgage from.