My conveyancer has uncovered a defect with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing in Empingham. The other side have offered title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our has advised that he must ensure that the mortgage company is willing to move forward with this solution. Are we the client or is the mortgage company ?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the risk of a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the mortgage company can be afforded the opportunity to check with their valuer as to the extent that the value of the property is affected. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

My relative recommended that if I am purchasing in Empingham I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is usually quoted for as part of the standard Empingham conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Empingham around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Empingham Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Empingham.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Empingham for my home move. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

One may read presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator could recorded telephone calls for training requirements.

I acquired a 2 bed flat in Empingham, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Empingham with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 50

With only 50 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

My wife and I expecting to complete buying a property in Empingham but as a consequence of wreckage from the recent storms I have negotiated compensation from the owner of £3k by way of a deduction in the price. This was going to be dealt with as part of the conveyancing process however the mortgage company will not permit this. Why were they involved?

Any listed on a bank conveyancing panel is obliged to advise the bank of any variations to the sale price. If you did not allow your to disclose the reduction to your bank then they would have to disinstructing themselves from acting for you and the mortgage company.