I am in the market for a reasonably priced conveyancer. Do I opt for a nationwide conveyancer rather than a local Mildmay conveyancing solicitor?

On the whole conveyancing practitioners in your neck of the woods will benefit from good connections with your local authority, which could assist with the Mildmay conveyancing searches that your solicitor will require. It can only be a plus if they enjoy existing relationships with the Local Land Registry Office your area Mildmay, other property lawyers in the neighbourhood and Mildmay property agents.

My aunt passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Mildmay. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Barclays, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Where you intend to re-mortgage then Barclays will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Barclays conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Barclays conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Barclays mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

My partner and I are intent on selling our home in Mildmay and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any high street Mildmay conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a web based conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Mildmay. We have lived in Mildmay for 5 years we know of no issue. Is it a good idea to get in touch with our local Authority to get clarification that the buyers are looking for.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same illness)

I am a negotiator for a reputable estate agency in Mildmay where we have witnessed a few leasehold sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have received conflicting advice from local Mildmay conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

Mildmay Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before buying

How is the lease structured? Generally speaking the outlay for major works are not incorporated into the maintenance charges, although some managing agents in Mildmay require tenants to contribute towards a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of establishing a fund for larger works.

My son is just in the process of moving house, he had his mortgage in principle. One the offer was accepted on flat we telephoned the bank to move forward with his. I was disappointed to learn that banks do not accept all lawyer, they must be on their panel, is this legal?

Banks tend to imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing practices on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that lenders have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any Mildmay conveyancer on their panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, conveyancing is not their speciality. To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime? Presumably not.