We are purchasing a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Conwy who is on the Yorkshire BS solicitor panel. Can you recommend a local firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Yorkshire BS . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Conwy.

We wanted to use a property lawyer in Conwy for our house move. Our financial adviser has since advised us that our bank Birmingham Midshires won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?

Before the recession most banks had a different appetite for risk. Almost all Conwy conveyancing firms would have been on many bank panels. The FSA in 2010 carried out a thematic review into mortgage fraud which come to the conclusion: know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, mortgage companies have regularly sought more data from law firms regarding their operations and their employees as well as set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum amount of transactions. Many Conwy conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have a 100% healthy track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Conwy is amongst the hundreds of locations where the solicitors we recommend are on the panel for Birmingham Midshires.

I am purchasing a new build house in Conwy with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not to tell my lawyer about this extras as it could affect my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the agent advised that the owners will only move forward if we instruct their recommended solicitors as they want an ‘expedited deal’. My instinct tells me that we should use a local solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Conwy

We suspect that the seller is not behind this ultimatum. Should the owner require ‘a quick sale', turning down a serious purchaser is counter productive. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you are going to use your own,trusted Conwy conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will provide their estate agent a referral fee or hit his conveyancing figures set by senior management.

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Conwy conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Conwy conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you speak with several firms including non Conwy conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:

What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Conwy in the last twenty four months? What are the charges for lease extension work?

I own a garden flat in Conwy, conveyancing was carried out 7 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Conwy with an extended lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2088

With only 70 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as 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 provide a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.