My wife and I are planning to purchase a home in Gomersal and are in fact using a Gomersal conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our conveyancer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Nationwide Building Society have this evening contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Gomersal solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?

When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is normal for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Gomersal solicitors, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

My grandson is in the process of securing a house that has just been built in Gomersal with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. His lawyer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?

The document is intended to provide information to the main parties involved in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

I am helping my aunt sell her property in Gomersal. Will the solicitor commission an energy assessment or it is for the owner to see to?

After the abolition of Home Packs, energy assessments became a mandatory component of moving house. An energy assessment must be to hand prior to the property being put on the market. It is not something that lawyers normally arrange. If you are instructing a Gomersal conveyancing solicitor they might be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with reputable Gomersal assessors

How can we know in advance if a Gomersal conveyancing solicitor on the TSB panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Gomersal seeking recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always suggest that you speak with the lawyer carrying out your conveyancing.

Two weeks ago we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Co-operative. Gomersal conveyancing practitioners are instructed. How long does it take for Co-operative to send the offer to the property lawyer?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Co-operative completed the survey? Have you advised Co-operative as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I’m about to sell my ground floor apartment in Gomersal. Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon, but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the maintenance contribution as usual as all ground rent and maintenance charges should be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I own a 1 bedroom flat in Gomersal, conveyancing was carried out 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar flats in Gomersal with over 90 years remaining are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease terminates on 21st October 2094

With only 69 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should 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 today placed an offer on a leasehold flat in Gomersal and the estate agent that we are dealing with suggested his lawyer. She quoted £900 excluding VAT and 3rd party costs. Does this sound reasonable?

You should not rely on 1 estimate. You should seek like-for-like quotes for your conveyancing in Gomersal. Then select one that you trust and just as important, is on the approved list of the mortgage company that you have applied for a mortgage from.