My fiance and I intend to purchase a newly converted flat in Hailsham with a mortgage from Santander.We use our Hailsham conveyancing lawyer but Santander says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint a Santander panel solicitor or retain our preferred solicitor and pay for a Santander panel lawyer to act for them. We feel as though 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 solicitors needs to be on the Santander conveyancing panel. in the past, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could find 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Santander

I am the sole beneficiary of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Hailsham. The Hailsham property was put into my name in September. I plan to dispose of the property. I do know about the CML six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship may be regarded the same way as if I'd bought the house in September. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The CML handbook obliges conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you could be affected by that. Some mortgage companies would take a sensible view as this requirement is principally there to identify subsales or the quick reselling of property.

Can you point me to a directory of Virgin Money panel solicitors in Hailsham on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association sites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings visible online. Where you are in need of a Hailsham conveyancing practitioner on the Virgin Money please make the most of our tool.

UBS have agreed my home loan in principle, my bid on a property in Hailsham has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

The estate agent will need to know who your solicitors are (make sure the conveyancing practitioners are on the lender’s panel). Call up UBS or the broker and finish off any appropriate documentation. UBS will sellect a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to schedule an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes about a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. UBS will issue the offer to you and your lawyers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Hailsham.

Should my lawyer be asking questions concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Hailsham.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers conducting conveyancing in Hailsham. Some people will acquire a property in Hailsham, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a number of checks that can be carried out by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Hailsham. The standard property information forms given to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) includes a standard question of the vendor to determine if the premises has historically flooded. If the residence has been flooded in past which is not notified by the seller, then a buyer could commence a claim for damages stemming from an inaccurate response. The buyer’s lawyers will also carry out an enviro search. This will higlight whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, more detailed inquiries should be initiated.

Should I be concerned that estate agents that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Hailsham conveyancing firm?

As with lots of professional services, often recommendations from connections can be very helpful. But there are lots of players in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders might all suggest conveyancers to choose. Sometimes these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but sometimes there exists a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You have the right to select your preferred lawyer. Don't forget that some banks operate an approved list of solicitors you must use for the mortgage aspect of your transaction.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Hailsham. Conveyancing and Bank of Ireland mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Hailsham who acted for me is not around. Any advice?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Hailsham conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I inherited a basement flat in Hailsham, conveyancing formalities finalised February 2001. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Hailsham with over 90 years remaining are worth £191,000. The ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2078

With 53 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 as well as 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 advice on a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.