How up to date is your search tool for Undy conveyancing solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel? Do Virgin Money send you an updated list?

Undy conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Virgin Money directly.

I am assisting my sister sell her property in Undy. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to coordinate?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates was retained a mandatory part of selling a house. An energy assessment should be to hand before the property is put on the market. It is not a task that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Undy conveyancing lawyer they may be willing to arrange energy performance certificates given their relationships with reputable Undy energy assessors

We are buying a detached bungalow in Undy. The intention is to carry out an extension to the side at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property involve enquiries to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your conveyancer should check the registered title as conveyancing in Undy will on occasion reveal restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit certain alterations or need the consent of a 3rd party. Some extensions call for local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Undy solicitor having made sure that they are on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Lloyds will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Lloyds will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Undy postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Lloyds, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Undy.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Undy I like with a park and railway links in the vicinity, however it only has 61 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Undy for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan that many years will likely be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing solicitor in Undy for my purchase. Can I check a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

Members of the public can review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training purposes.

Having used your search tool I can't find the lawyer I was hoping to instruct as being on the bank conveyancing panel. My lawyer has said that they are on the lender approved panel. How can I be sure given that they are not listed on your directory?

Not all firms are yet listed on our lender panel search tool which is still relatively new. Law firms are listing on a daily basis and it is probably the case that your lawyer is on the lender conveyancing lawyer and you should probably take them at their word. Please do feel free to suggest that they completing their listing on our site as it would only cost them £1 a month to list themselves as being on the bank solicitor panel.