My financial adviser has asked me for my Erdington law firm’s panel reference for the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I find this out. I have called my local Erdington office but they don't know it.

Have you tried calling your Erdington conveyancer about this?. They keep a central record lender panel numbers.

It is is a decade since I purchased my property in Erdington. Conveyancing solicitors have just been appointed on the sale but I can't find the title documents. Will this jeopardise the sale?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly there is a chance that the deeds will be retained by your mortgage company or they could be in the possession of the lawyers who handled your purchase. Secondly in all probability the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Erdington relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it is more of a problem but is not insurmountable.

We're in Erdington, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Leeds Building Society , and our lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Just acquired a semi-detached house in Erdington , What is the estimated time for the Land Registry to register my ownership? My Erdington conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to check that my name is recorded.

As far as conveyancing in Erdington registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ depending on the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any interested persons or bodies. At present approximately 80% of submission are fully dealt with in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration takes place after the buyer has moved in to the property thus 'speed' is not typically top priority but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your lawyers could contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

There are only 72 years unexpired on my flat in Erdington. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have used your best endeavours to track down the lessor. For most situations an enquiry agent may be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Erdington.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Erdington - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

How long is the Lease? Most Erdington leasehold apartments will have a service bill for the upkeep of the building set on behalf of the management company. Should you purchase the flat you will have to pay this contribution, normally in instalments accross the year. This may vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all probability there will be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a large amount, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire as sometimes it could be prohibitively expensive. Its a good idea to discover as much as you can about the managing agents as they can either make your life much easier or a lot more difficult. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.