I am purchasing a leasehold flat in Salisbury. My lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company approved list. Is it possible for me to appoint my Salisbury conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the bank list of approved lawyers?

One must have a lawyer to complete the legal work required when you need a mortgage to buy your property. They will conduct all the appropriate due diligence on the property, make sure that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is dealt with. You can appoint a Salisbury lawyer of your choosing. Nevertheless, if the conveyancer selected is not on the bank approved list supplemental fees will be levied as separate legal representation will be required by them. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so provided your lawyer has not in the past applied for membership they can do so.

I have a decision in principle. The lender mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel conveyancer as I would prefer to appoint a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Salisbury?

Do check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel conveyancers should you want the "fee-free" deal. Speak to the mortgage company to check if they allow a monetary alternative. In the past a few mortgage companies offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor near Salisbury.

Me and my brother have a terraced Edwardian house in Salisbury. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and HSBC Bank. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be 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 Salisbury and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also question the position with the conveyancing practitioner who completed the work.

I own a leasehold house in Salisbury. Conveyancing and Bank of Scotland mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing practitioner in Salisbury who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Salisbury conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am the registered owner of a ground floor flat in Salisbury, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2011. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable flats in Salisbury with an extended lease are worth £206,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2090

With only 66 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £12,400 and £14,200 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

We are seeking to acquire a repossessed property in Salisbury and the vendor would like to complete inside a week. Can a property lawyer meet that timeframe? Would it be better to use a high street Salisbury firm or an online company that professes to complete quickly?

Attend your Salisbury shopping parade. Pop in to 3 solicitor’s offices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for an estimate. Set out your needs and get assurances on speed. Select the firm that seems most genuine. You need to choose a solicitor on the list of property lawyers approved by your lender.