My family solicitor has quoted £1200 for freehold conveyancing in Sandbanks. I am selling a modern property for £150,000. This appears expensive. Is it above the average fee for conveyancing in Sandbanks?

The quote is fractionally on the high side. If you shop around you might decrease the fees slightly by perhaps a hundred pounds. On the other hand, you maylive to regret choosing an an untested solicitor. If is important to be sure that the solicitor can act for your lender. Do employ our search tool to choose a Sandbanks conveyancing firm on the banks conveyancing panel which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Sandbanks.

Are all Sandbanks Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Barclays conveyancing panel?

It is true that some banks and building societies now make use of CQS as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,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.

I have paid off my mortgage with RBS. I assume I don't need a Sandbanks conveyancer on the RBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your RBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the RBS mortgage from the register. RBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where RBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. RBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Sandbanks. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

I require fast conveyancing in Sandbanks as I am under a deadline to complete within 2 weeks. A mortgage is not required. Can I decline from having conveyancing searches to save money and time?

As you are are a mortgage free purchaser you have the choice not to have searches carried out although no solicitor would recommend that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Sandbanks the following are examples of what can crop up and adversely affect the marketability of the property: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Fees, Outstanding Grants, Railway Schemes,...

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Sandbanks conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Sandbanks conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Sandbanks conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be of use:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason? What are the charges for lease extension work?

I purchased a 2 bed flat in Sandbanks, conveyancing having been completed in 2003. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Sandbanks with over 90 years remaining are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2080

You have 55 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" 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 without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.

I need to switch lawyers as my Sandbanks lawyer is not on the mortgage company's approved list of conveyancing solicitors. How simple is it to change conveyancer?

In the event that you have not formally instructed a conveyancer to do anything for you and at this stage simply received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Sandbanks that you're considering.