I am nearing exchange of contracts for my apartment in Broadclyst and the EA has just text me to advise that the buyers are switching law firm. The excuse is that the bank will only deal with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a major mortgage company only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Broadclyst ?

UK lenders have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Lenders blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some 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. The purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

Me and my brother have a terraced Georgian house in Broadclyst. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Nationwide Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Broadclyst and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Broadclyst prior to instructing conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. My surveyor has said that some banks will refuse to give a loan on this type of house.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. If you e-mail us we can investigate further via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Broadclyst. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

In surfing the web for the term cheap conveyancing in Broadclyst it shows results of many conveyancerslocally. How do I determine which is the right conveyancing solicitor for the sale of my house?

The preferential way of finding the right conveyancer is through a personal referral, so seek the counsel of colleagues and those you trust who have acquired a property in Broadclyst or a local estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Broadclyst differ, so it's sensible to request a minimum of three quotes from varying types of property lawyers. Dont forget to clarify that the fees are fixed.

My partner and I may need to sub-let our Broadclyst ground floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Broadclyst conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A lease dictates relations between the landlord and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Broadclyst do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

I inherited a 1st floor flat in Broadclyst, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. 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 properties in Broadclyst with an extended lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2082

With just 58 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £22,800 and £26,400 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.