I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in Shirehampton for our home move. Our broker has since advised us that our mortgage company Lloyds TSB Bank won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

Before the recession most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. Almost all Shirehampton conveyancing firms would have been on most bank panels. The financial services regulator in 2010 carried out a thematic investigation into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, lenders are increasingly seeing more information from law firms concerning their operations and their employees and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum number of transactions. Many Shirehampton conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Shirehampton is one of the numerous locations where the conveyancers showing on our search results are are approved Lloyds TSB Bank.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as FTB of a two bedroom flat in Shirehampton. Do I receive the keys to the house on the completion date from my conveyancer? If so, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Shirehampton?

On the day of completion you will not be required to attend the conveyancers office in Shirehampton. Conveyancing lawyers for you will arrange to send the completion advance to the vendor’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you will be able to collect the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens early afternoon.

We are purchasing a detached bungalow in Shirehampton. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property include checks to ascertain if these works are allowed?

Your property lawyer will review the deeds as conveyancing in Shirehampton will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit categories of changes or require the consent of a 3rd party. Certain additions call for local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

Are all Shirehampton Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel?

Some major banks and building societies now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.

My friend suggested that if I am purchasing in Shirehampton I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your Shirehampton conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Shirehampton around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Shirehampton Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Shirehampton.

As co-executor for the will of my grandmother I am selling a house in Cardiff but reside in Shirehampton. My solicitor (who is 235 kilometers awayhas requested that I execute a statutory declaration before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Shirehampton to witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are not likely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are based in Shirehampton

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton can be bypassed if you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
Many freeholders or Management Companies in Shirehampton charge for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton. If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unresolved. Some Shirehampton leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the remaining number of years is below 75 years. It is therefore important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

Shirehampton Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

How many years remain on the lease? The answer will be useful as a) areas could result in problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to know about it How much is the ground rent and service charge?