My mortgage broker says he needs my Stretford law firm’s panel member for the HSBC conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have contacted my local Stretford branch but they have not responded to me.

The sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your Stretford conveyancing practitioner . They retain a central record lender panel numbers.

How up to date is your database of Stretford solicitors on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel? Do Coventry BS send you an updated list?

Stretford conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Coventry BS directly.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Stretford I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Stretford suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

Should you require a mortgage that many years will be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for remortgage conveyancing in Stretford. I've chance upon a site which looks to be the ideal solution If there is a chance to get all the legals done via email that would be ideal. 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?

We expect to complete our sale of a £450,000 garden flat in Stretford next Monday. The freeholder has quoted £396 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Stretford?

Stretford conveyancing on leasehold apartments ordinarily necessitates administration charges invoiced by management companies :

Addressing conveyancing due diligence questions Where consent is required before sale in Stretford Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Stretford leasehold property is £350. For Stretford conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply answers.

I own a 2 bed flat in Stretford, conveyancing was carried out in 2000. 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 Stretford with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 2095

With 70 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.