Is there a search tool that I can utilise to discover of the solicitor handling my conveyancing in Brighton is on the bank’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Barclays Direct thus spending £187.00 plus VAT in additional conveyancing bill.

Please do take advantage of the find a lender approved solicitor tool on this site. Pick the mortgage company and type ‘Brighton’ or your preferred area and you will see a number of lawyer located in Brighton or nearest you.

We expect to receive a AIP from Clydesdale this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Clydesdale recommend any Brighton solicitors on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Brighton solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Clydesdale through the process.

I can not work out if my lender requires a lease extension. I have called my Brighton building society branch on a couple of occasions and was told it does not impact the mortgage offer and they would lend. My Brighton conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they will not lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?

As long as the lawyer is on the bank approved list, they must comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the bank 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 lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I have instructed a Brighton property lawyer having made sure that they are on the TSB conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

TSB will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually TSB 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. Your conveyancer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Brighton postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Brighton.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one round the corner in Brighton I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Brighton in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

Should you require a mortgage that many years will likely be problematic. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Brighton conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Brighton conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you make enquires with several firms including non Brighton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

How many lease extensions has the firm conducted in Brighton in the last twenty four months? What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing?

Brighton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

For many Brighton leaseholds the cost for major works tend not to be incorporated into the service charges, although there some managing agents in Brighton obliged leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of establishing a fund for major repairs or maintenance. Best to be warned if changing the roof or some other major work is pending to be shared between the leasehold owners and may well materially impact the level of the service charges or result in a specific invoice. Is there a share of the freehold?

I'm selling a apartment in Brighton. I can find my conveyancer's company on the CLC list, but I can't locate my conveyancer's name as listed on the regulator's website. Should I be concerned?

Not every individual in the practice must be listed by the regulator. Provided there is a manager qualified to 'oversee' the work, the actual day-to-day activity can be undertaken by unqualified staff.