Please help. My Aldridge solicitor is informing me me that she is duty bound toconduct Aldridge conveyancing searches stemming from the fact thatthe firm are on the Lloydsconveyancing panel. Is this really necessary?

You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a home loan with a bank your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your property lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Aldridge conveyancing searches.

My fiance and I decided to purchase a 1 bedroom apartment in Aldridge with a homeloan from HSBC Bank.We have a Aldridge conveyancing solicitor but HSBC Bank informed us her practice is not listed on their "panel". we are left little option but to use a HSBC Bank panel solicitor or keep our preferred solicitor and fork out for a HSBC Bank panel lawyer to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you contains various provisions, a common one being that lawyers needs to be on the HSBC Bank conveyancing panel. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for HSBC Bank

What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Aldridge

It would be unwise to be seduced by the lowest Aldridge conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Nationwide are being pedantic. The Aldridge solicitor who is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Nationwide are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nationwide have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nationwide have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nationwide 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.

Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Aldridge solicitor - who is on the Santander conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Santander will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Santander will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Aldridge surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I was recommended by numerous estate agents in Aldridge to get a quote from a property lawyer using your seach tool. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to market your services ahead of a competitor’s?

We refuse to give any commission for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

I want to sublet my leasehold apartment in Aldridge. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

The lease governs the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. Most leases in Aldridge do not prevent strict prohibition on subletting – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the sublease.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Aldridge - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants have control and although a managing agent is frequently employed where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Most Aldridge leasehold apartments will have a service charge for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the management company. Should you purchase the apartment you will have to pay this contribution, normally periodically during the year. This could differ from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common areas. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a significant sum, say around £50-£100 but you need to check it because occasionally it can be many hundreds of pounds. Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge payments?