I am obtaining a offer of a home loan from Santander. I intend to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Bridgnorth. Does the Santander Conveyancing panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Santander approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The conveyancers who did the conveyancing in Bridgnorth 10 years ago no longer exist. What are my next steps?

In today’s world there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your conveyancer should know precisely where to look for all the appropriate documentation so you can buy or dispose of your house without a hitch. If copies can’t be located, your solicitor can put in place insurance or indemnities against future claims on the property.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and found one round the corner in Bridgnorth I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Bridgnorth in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage that many years may be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign 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 lawyer about this.

How do I use the search tool to choose a conveyancing practitioner in Bridgnorth on the panel for my lender?

First pick a mortgage company such as Santander, Leeds Building Society or Bank of Ireland then type in your location for instance Bridgnorth. Conveyancing organisations in Bridgnorth and further afield should be identified.

I'm selling a property in Bridgnorth. I can find my conveyancer's company on the Law Society's list, but I can't find my conveyancer's name on the list. Should I be concerned?

Not every individual in the law firm must be listed by the regulator. As long there is a manager qualified to 'oversee' the transaction, the actual day-to-day activity can be undertaken by unlicensed staff.