Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Langford is not identified on my lender's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her conveyancing?

It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Langford conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

I am hoping to complete my purchase in Langford next Tuesday. My solicitor now wants me to supply her with proof of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the mortgage company. What risks does the lender expect the insurance to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 requirements. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Langford.

It is is a decade since I bought my property in Langford. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been retained on the sale but I can't find the title documents. Will this jeopardise the sale?

You need not be too concerned. First there is a possibility that the deeds will be with the mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who handled your purchase. Secondly in most cases the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers acquiring up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Langford relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it is more problematic but is resolvable.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Langford?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Langford. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £475,000 garden flat in Langford in 5 days. The landlords agents has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Langford?

Langford conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries most will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Langford, conveyancing formalities finalised August 1996. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Langford with an extended lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2084

You have 60 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as legals.

The figure 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 tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.