My wife and I are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in Cardiff with a mortgage. We like our Cardiff conveyancer, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel firms or retain our Cardiff conveyancer and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We consider that this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. A further alternative is for your Cardiff conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a searchable register to list firms on the Melton Mowbray Building Society conveyancing panel for instance in Cardiff?

We are not aware of any intention on the part of the BSA to promote such a search facility.

Should my solicitor be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Cardiff.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Cardiff. Some people will buy a property in Cardiff, completely aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the property. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that can be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which should figure out the risks in Cardiff. The standard completed inquiry forms sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual inquiry of the seller to find out if the property has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the seller, then a buyer may bring a legal claim for losses stemming from an inaccurate answer. The buyer’s lawyers should also conduct an environmental search. This should indicate if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional investigations will need to be carried out.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Cardiff I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Cardiff in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

If you need a home loan that many years will likely be problematic. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

How easy is it to change solicitor as I need to select a firm on the Accord Mortgages Ltd conveyancing list. I instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Cardiff round the corner but he is not accepted by Accord Mortgages Ltd

It would be our pleasure to help you select a conveyancing solicitor in Cardiff on the Accord Mortgages Ltd panel. Please note that the law firms that we list do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are fully regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this page, you can scrutinise costs for conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff and throughout England and Wales.