We are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in Chelsea with a mortgage. We have a Chelsea lawyer, but the mortgage company advise she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the mortgage company panel conveyancing practices or keep our Chelsea as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’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 Chelsea conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Please explain the implications if my solicitor is expelled from the Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Chelsea?

First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

What does a local search tell me about the house my wife and I buying in Chelsea?

Chelsea conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search organisations such as Searchflow The local search plays a central role in many a Chelsea conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any unpleasant once you have moved into your property. The search should reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (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 subject sections.

As co-executor for the estate of my father I am selling a house in Cardiff but live in Chelsea. My conveyancer (based 260 kilometers awayneeds me to sign a statutory declaration before the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Chelsea to witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Chelsea

I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Chelsea. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Chelsea ?

The majority of houses in Chelsea are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Chelsea so you should seriously consider looking for a Chelsea conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

I acquired a studio flat in Chelsea, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Chelsea with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 50

You have 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £36,100 and £41,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures 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 seeking the advice of a professional.