I am getting a mortgage with Lloyds. I hope to retain the legal services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Snowdonia. Does the Lloyds Conveyancing panel exclude Licensed Conveyancers?

The Lloyds approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, represented by the Council or Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

Is there a list of Santander panel conveyancers in Snowdonia on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of mortgage companies make their panel listings viewable online. Where you are seeking to appoint a Snowdonia property lawyer on the Santander please make the most of our facility.

We are getting a further advance on our mortgage from Bank of Ireland as we wish to carry out renovations to our home in Snowdonia. Are we obliged to appoint a bricks and mortar Snowdonia solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

Bank of Ireland would not normally require firms on their conveyancing panel to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.

The mortgage over my property is with HSBC for my property in Snowdonia. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform HSBC?

Your original mortgage agreement with HSBC will provide that you need their approval in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of HSBC’s mortgage conditions. It may be that HSBC will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact HSBC directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a HSBC conveyancing panel lawyer.

I was pointed in your direction by a few estate agents in Snowdonia to select a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your lawyers rather than another?

We don’t offer any commission for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my father I am selling a house in Swansea but reside in Snowdonia. My solicitor (based 200 miles from mehas requested that I execute a stat dec ahead of completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Snowdonia who can witness this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Snowdonia based

We expect to complete the disposal of our £325,000 flat in Snowdonia on Monday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Snowdonia?

Snowdonia conveyancing on leasehold flats usually involves the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty to invoice a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

I invested in buying a basement flat in Snowdonia, conveyancing was carried out in 1998. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Snowdonia with a long lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2092

You have 67 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £10,500 and £12,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other 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 based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.