I am selling my flat in Stonehouse and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are switching property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Stonehouse ?

Banks have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Me and my brother have a 4 bedroom Victorian property in Stonehouse. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Virgin Money. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should assess 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 Stonehouse and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also question the position with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the work.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Stonehouse. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Stonehouse

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Please supply a car parking plan.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £305k and identified one near me in Stonehouse I like with amenity areas and station nearby, however it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Stonehouse in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Stonehouse. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Stonehouse - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I own a leasehold flat in Stonehouse, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar flats in Stonehouse with a long lease are worth £185,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2084

You have 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range 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 due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.