I am not well enough to travel far from Leicestershire. Can you please explain the reason why all Leicestershire property lawyers are not on all lender panels?

Banks highlight the fact that solicitor-led fraud is considered to be responsible for millions of pounds of fraud every year.The elimination of law firms from lender panels started with the rise in mortgage fraud, which prompted a thematic review by the Financial Services Authority in 2011. Its conclusions included recommendations for lending institutions to review their conveyancing panels, which kicked off a major policy change in the sector. It led to mortgage companies culling less reputable firms off their books of approved lawyers .

We are looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Leicestershire who is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a local firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Lloyds . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Leicestershire.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am new to the home moving as FTB of a ground floor flat in Leicestershire. Do I collect the keys to the property on the completion date from my lawyer? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Leicestershire?

On the day of completion you will not be required to attend the conveyancers office in Leicestershire. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the owner’s conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be able to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

Can you point me to a directory of Virgin Money panel conveyancers in Leicestershire on the Building Society Association’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few banks make their panel listings available on the web. Where you are in need of a Leicestershire conveyancing practitioner on the Virgin Money please make the most of our tool.

How can we know in advance if a Leicestershire conveyancing solicitor on the Leeds Building Society panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Leicestershire obtaining recommendations is a sensible start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor handling your transaction.

I was advised by a few selling agents in Leicestershire to choose a conveyancer on your site. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to recommend your services rather than a competitor’s?

We refuse to offer any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

Last June I purchased a leasehold flat in Leicestershire. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Leicestershire, conveyancing having been completed March 1995. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar properties in Leicestershire with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2079

With just 55 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.