I was informed today by my IFA that my Maesteg property lawyer is not on the mortgage company Solicitor panel. What can I do to be certain that this is indeed the case?

The sensible course of action for you to take is to call your Maesteg lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you of the situation. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your mortgage company.

Is it the case that all Maesteg CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Clydesdale conveyancing list of approved solicitors?

It is true that some lenders now make use of the accreditation scheme as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.

We had selected conveyancing lawyers located in Maesteg on the HSBC solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me a separate sum for the legal aspects of the HSBC mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by HSBC?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. This charge is not set by HSBC but by your Maesteg lawyer. Numerous firms on the HSBC panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in January 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, HSBC are being a right pain. The Maesteg solicitor who is on the HSBC conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but HSBC are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do HSBC have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that HSBC have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why HSBC may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Do I need this when acquiring a house in Maesteg? or Apparently there is historic law that could mean that house owners residing in a parish church boundary will be compelled to pay for maintenance towards the chancel within the church. Is this a legitimate concern for conveyancing in Maesteg?

Unless a previous purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you could assume that lawyers handling conveyancing in Maesteg to continue to suggest a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Maesteg is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Maesteg are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Maesteg you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Maesteg may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

What are the frequently found deficiencies that you see in leases for Maesteg properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Maesteg. All leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the building Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have very detailed conveyancing instructions 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 provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.

Maesteg Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

It is important to be aware whether a new roof is being installed or some other significant cost is coming up that will be shared between the leasehold owners and will materially impact the level of the maintenance charges or result in a specific invoice. Is there a share of the freehold? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments?