Are the Burnage conveyancing solicitors identified as being on the Santander conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by Santander?

Burnage conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Santander conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Santander directly.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Clydesdale are being a right pain. The Burnage solicitor who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Clydesdale are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Clydesdale have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Clydesdale have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Clydesdale 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 mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Burnage solicitor - who is on the TSB conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

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 solicitor 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 Burnage postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Burnage.

I have finally had an offer on a flat in Burnage agreed to, the owners do however have an associated purchase. The vendors have placed an offer on somewhere, but it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have chosen a bricks and mortar conveyancing solicitor in Burnage. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Aldermore going?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then survey, Burnage conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should check that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent stages this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your transaction, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a rising market some home buyers will apply for a home loan with Aldermore and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their solicitor to move forward with the conveyancing in Burnage.

I'm refinancing my current home to a BTL loan with TSB and intend to use the remaining equity towards another house. The location we are interested in is Burnage. Will your conveyancers be able to act for both sets of mortgage companies and link together the two deals?

Make use of our comparison tool on this page to check that the lawyers are on the relevant lender panels. Assuming that they are the lawyer will be able to connect the two transactions but you should talk with you solicitor and specify your expectations and requirements.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Burnage for my house move. Is it possible to review a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

You may read presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions commenced on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may monitor telephone calls for training requirements.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Burnage. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the invoice as normal as all rents and maintenance charges will be apportioned on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am the registered owner of a 1 bedroom flat in Burnage, conveyancing having been completed 3 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Burnage with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2093

With 67 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.