I am 3 weeks into the sale of my apartment in Allestree and the estate agent has just e-mailed to advise that the purchasers are swapping property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named mortgage company only deal with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Allestree ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for decades.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that 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 impact on this.

I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Allestree. Now, I need my documents however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Allestree of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Allestree I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Allestree in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan that many years may be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

I would like to sublet my leasehold apartment in Allestree. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Even though your previous Allestree conveyancing solicitor is no longer around you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to obtain permission from your landlord or other appropriate person before subletting. This means that you cannot sublet in the absence of prior permission. Such consent should not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Allestree Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

Are there any major works anticipated that will add a premium to the maintenance fees? This question is important as a) areas may cause problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate if maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will want to know about it Please note that where the lease has fewer than eighty years it will affect the marketability of the apartment. Check with your lender that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and it is worth finding out what this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have owned the property for 24 months in order to be eligible to exercise a lease extension.

My husband and I plan to purchase our 1st home in Allestree. Conveyancing solicitor has been chosen. The broker advised that a survey is not necessary as the house is only 17 years old.

As the bare minimum you need a Home Buyer's Report. As the premises was constructed more than a decade ago the property will not come with a warranty, so you don't want to take a risk. For a property that age with no signs of defects a Home Buyer's report could be sufficient. They will highlight any obvious issues and recommend additional investigation if appropriate. Where there are any signs of material issues obtain a full Building Survey from the beginning.