My wife and I are acquiring an apartment in Bedminster. My lawyer is not listed on the lender approved list. Is it possible for me to continue with my Bedminster conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?

You have a number of options available to you here

• Complete the deal with your chosen Bedminster solicitor but your mortgage company will no doubt instruct a property lawyer on their approved panel. The net result is additional charges and likely delay.
• Get a new conveyancer to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Appeal to your solicitor to seek to join the lender panel

We are getting the release of further monies on our mortgage from Coventry BS as we intend to carry out alterations to our property in Bedminster. Do we need to choose a bricks and mortar Bedminster solicitor on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Coventry BS don't usually instruct firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Coventry BS panel.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Bedminster. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

It is unclear whether my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Bedminster bank branch on various occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Bedminster conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they would not lend in accordance with their specific requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the lawyer is on the mortgage company panel, she or he must adhere to the CML Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

What will a local search inform me concerning the property my wife and I purchasing in Bedminster?

Bedminster conveyancing often starts with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company for example Xpress Legal The local search is essential in every Bedminster conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search should supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of thirteen subject sections.

It has been five months since my purchase conveyancing in Bedminster concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the asset from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Bedminster what are the most common lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Bedminster. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.

You will have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Bank of Scotland, and Nottingham Building Society all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to pull out.

I bought a 1st floor flat in Bedminster, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Bedminster with a long lease are worth £181,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2074

You have 50 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.