I am selling my apartment in Abercynon and the EA has just called to say that the buyers are swapping property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading lender only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Abercynon ?

Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Santander, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for over 25 years.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. 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 do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

What will a local search inform me regarding the house my wife and I buying in Abercynon?

Abercynon conveyancing often commences with the applying for local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations such as PSG The local search plays an important part in most Abercynon conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty surprises after you move into your property. The search will provide information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject areas.

My wife and I have a semi-detached Victorian house in Abercynon. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Nottingham Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

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

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £195,000 and found one near me in Abercynon I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Abercynon for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?

If you need a mortgage that many years will likely be problematic. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

I happen to be an executor of my recently deceased parent's Will, with a house in Abercynon which is to be sold. The property has never been registered at HMLR and I'm advised that many buyers solicitors will insist that it is completed before they'll proceed. What's the procedure for this?

In the circumstances you refer to it seems prudent to seek to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. HMLR’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and official copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.