We are intending to buy a 2 bedroom apartment in Ravensthorpe with a mortgage. We have a Ravensthorpe solicitor, but the lender says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no option but to select one of the bank panel solicitors or continue with our Ravensthorpe property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. This feels very unfair; 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. Another option that might be available is for your Ravensthorpe conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

How up to date is your search tool for Ravensthorpe conveyancing solicitors on the Nationwide conveyancing panel? Do Nationwide send you an updated list?

Ravensthorpe conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Nationwide directly.

Me and my brother purchased a semi-detached Georgian property in Ravensthorpe. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Barclays Direct. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Ravensthorpe and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for sale conveyancing in Ravensthorpe. I happened to stumble upon a site which seems to have the perfect offering If it is possible to get all this stuff completed via email that would be ideal. Should I be wary? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

All being well we will complete the sale of our £375,000 apartment in Ravensthorpe next Friday. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Ravensthorpe?

Ravensthorpe conveyancing on leasehold flats nine out of ten times involves administration charges raised by managing agents :

Completing pre-exchange questions Where consent is required before sale in Ravensthorpe Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Ravensthorpe leasehold premises is £350. For Ravensthorpe conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide the information.

Ravensthorpe Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

Its a good idea to discover as much as you can regarding the company managing the block as they will either make life much simpler or uncomfortable. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day issues such as the upkeep of the common parts. You should not be shy to ask other people what they think of their management. In conclusion, be sure you understand the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money. Who takes responsibility for maintaining and repairing the building? How is the lease structured?