My husband and I are purchasing a ground floor flat in St Margarets. My Conveyancer is not on the bank solicitor panel. Am I still permitted to retain my St Margarets conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are excluded from the lender approved list?

You have a number of alternatives available to you here

• Complete the deal with your existing St Margarets solicitor but your mortgage company will need to retain a conveyancer from their approved panel. The net result is additional fees and likely frustration.
• Get a new solicitor to conduct the conveyancing, making sure they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your solicitor to attempt to join the mortgage company panel

Can the conveyancing lawyers that you recommend perform right to buy conveyancing in St Margarets?

We work with numerous conveyancing specialists who can handle right to buy conveyancing matters Please contact the solicitors listed with a view to secure a costs calculation.

I purchased a freehold property in St Margarets yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in St Margarets and has limited impact for conveyancing in St Margarets but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of new rentcharges post 1977.

Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 is to be extinguished.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one round the corner in St Margarets I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in St Margarets for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

Should you require a home loan that many years will be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for some conveyancing in St Margarets. I've stumble upon a site which appears to be the ideal solution If there is a chance to get all this stuff completed via phone that would be preferable. 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?