I am progressing with the sale of my maisonette in Bartley Green and the EA has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are switching property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major mortgage company only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Bartley Green ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for many years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – 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 not going to have any sway in the decision.

My grandfather passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Bartley Green. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £4500. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Aldermore, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you plan to refinance then Aldermore will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Aldermore 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 Aldermore 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 Aldermore mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a first time buyer of a ground floor flat in Bartley Green. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on the completion date from my lawyer? If so, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Bartley Green?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Bartley Green. Your solicitors will arrange to send the completion advance to the seller's conveyancers, and once they have received this, you will be called to receive the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.

A friend advised me that in purchasing a property in Bartley Green there may be various restrictions prohibiting external changes to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Bartley Green which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Bartley Green should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

It is unclear whether my bank requires a lease extension. I have called into my local Bartley Green bank branch on numerous occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Bartley Green conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their specific requirements. Who do I believe?

The conveyancer has to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook section two conditions for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

What will a local search reveal about the property I am purchasing in Bartley Green?

Bartley Green conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company for instance PSG The local search is essential in every Bartley Green conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your new home. The search will supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (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 topic sections.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Bartley Green I like with open areas and station in the vicinity, however it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Bartley Green suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be problematic. Reduce the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.