Me and my partner are purchasing a 3 bedroom apartment in Dunchurch with a mortgage. We have a Dunchurch lawyer, but the mortgage company advise she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have no option but to instruct one of the bank panel firms or continue with our Dunchurch lawyer and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We feel that this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you 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. Another option that might be available is for your Dunchurch conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

The Dunchurch conveyancing firm handling our Dunchurch conveyancing has identified a discrepancy when comparing the information in the valuation report and what is in the conveyancing documents. My lawyer informs me that he must ensure that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my lawyer’s approach appropriate?

Your conveyancing practitioner must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

Just acquired a terraced house in Dunchurch , how long will it take for the Land Registry to register my ownership? My Dunchurch conveyancing solicitor has been painfully slow, so I want to be certain that my ownership is registered.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Dunchurch registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can vary according to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry need to notify any 3rd parties. Currently approximately three quarters of submission are fully addressed within two weeks but occasionally there can be protracted hold-ups. Historically registration is effected once the buyer has moved in to the property therefore 'speed' is not usually top priority but if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor must contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

Back In 2004, I bought a leasehold house in Dunchurch. Conveyancing and Bank of Scotland mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing practitioner in Dunchurch who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Dunchurch conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in Dunchurch, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2012. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Dunchurch with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2088

With only 62 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £17,100 and £19,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is 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. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

I have finally had an offer on an apartment in Dunchurch agreed to, the seller does nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The sellers have offered on a property, however it’s not yet agreed to, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing lawyer in Dunchurch. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Skipton started with Skipton?

It is standard to have apprehensions where there is an associated chain given your reluctance to be too out of pocket prematurely (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Dunchurch conveyancing search fees, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your property lawyer is on the Skipton conveyancing panel. As to the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market the majority of purchasers will apply for a home loan with Skipton and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their conveyancer to proceed with searches.