I am one month into the sale of my ground floor flat in Maulden and the estate agent has just called to say that the purchasers are switching law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only work with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a major lender only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Maulden ?

UK lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Lenders blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Maulden? Is this really warranted?

You are right in the requirement set out by your lawyer has nothing to do with conveyancing in Maulden. Nowadays you will not be able to proceed with any conveyancing transaction if you have not submitting proof of your identity. Ordinarily this takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence as well as a utility bill. Please note that if you are providing your driving licence as proof of ID it needs to be both the paper part and photo card part, one is not sufficient in the absence of the other.

Proof of the source of funds is required in accordance with the Money Laundering Regulations. You should not be offended when you are asked to produce this as your conveyancing solicitor must have this information on record. Your Maulden conveyancing solicitor will need to see evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any funds from you into their client account and they will also ask further queries regarding the origin of funds.

The deeds to our property can not be found. The lawyers who conducted the conveyancing in Maulden 10 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?

As long as the title is registered the details of your ownership will be evidenced by the Land Registry under a Title Number. It is easy to execute a search at the Land Registry, find your house and obtain current copies of the property title for less than a fiver. If the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will usually retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for £20 inclusive of VAT.

Is there anything unique about your site and other online quote calculators for conveyancing in Maulden?

At this site secure an accurate quote from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that has a full understanding of the nuances for your conveyancing in Maulden. As opposed to estate agents and brokerage sites we do not have referral deals with solicitors. Some agents and online brokers 'recommend' the firm paying the most commission, rather than the best value conveyancing in Maulden

I wish to let out my leasehold apartment in Maulden. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

Your lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will say if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Maulden do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Maulden, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Maulden with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2087

With just 62 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £17,100 and £19,800 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.