My husband and I are hoping to acquire a 2 bedroom flat in Cross Keys with a mortgage. We have a Cross Keys solicitor, however the lender advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel conveyancing practices or keep our Cross Keys lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to act for them. We feel that this is inequitable; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. A further alternative is for your Cross Keys conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

My Cross Keys conveyancer has identified a discrepancy when comparing the information in the home valuation report and what is revealed within the legal papers for the property. My solicitor has advised that he needs to ensure that the lender is happy with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my lawyer’s course or action appropriate?

Your property lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

four months have gone by following my purchase conveyancing in Cross Keys completed. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £170,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the asset from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Cross Keys. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Cross Keys - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I acquired a studio flat in Cross Keys, conveyancing having been completed in 2005. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Cross Keys with a long lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2084

You have 59 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £20,900 and £24,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I have today had an offer accepted on a leasehold flat in Cross Keys and the broker that we are dealing with recommended his conveyancer. They quoted £800 excluding VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound expensive?

You should not rely on 1 quote. You should obtain like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Cross Keys. Then choose one that you trust and crucially, is on the approved list of the lender that you have applied for a mortgage from.