I am expecting a mortgage with Nat West. I would like to retain the legal services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Hastings. Does the Nat West Conveyancing panel exclude conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Nat West conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, associated to the CML or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

My husband and I have organised a further advance on our mortgage from Clydesdale as we intend to carry out renovations to our house in Hastings. Are we obliged to appoint a bricks and mortar Hastings solicitor on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

Clydesdale do not ordinarily 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 Clydesdale conveyancing panel.

My wife and I are spending time looking at houses in Hastings and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a conveyancer appointed at this point? I am planning to take a mortgage with Skipton.

You should start requesting conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the EA. As you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in December 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Yorkshire BS are being difficult. The Hastings solicitor who is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Yorkshire BS are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Yorkshire BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Yorkshire BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Yorkshire BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

The deeds to my property can not be found. The conveyancers who did the conveyancing in Hastings 5 years ago no longer exist. What are my next steps?

Gone are the days when you need to have the physical deeds to evidence that you are the owner of your registered land or property, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

I am buying a new build apartment in Hastings. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hastings

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please supply a car parking plan. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Hastings. Conveyancing and Skipton Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Hastings who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Hastings conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I purchased a 1 bedroom flat in Hastings, conveyancing was carried out October 1998. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Hastings with an extended lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2092

With 68 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered 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 seeking the advice of a professional.