My conveyancer has identified a a problem with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Henllan. The other side have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will cover the costs. Our solicitor 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 bank?

The short answer to your last question is that, notwithstanding the potential for a conflict of interest, you and the mortgage company are the client. Your conveyancing practitioner must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions require your lawyer to disclose issues such as defects with the lease so that the bank 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 conveyancer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

The Henllan conveyancing firm that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Henllan have suddenly closed. They were on acting for me because I needed a firm on the Principality conveyancing panel and my preferred Henllan lawyer was not. I paid them 275 plus VAT in advance. What are my options?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Principality conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to assist.

I need to instruct a conveyancing practitioner in Henllan for my home move. Is there any facility to see a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

You can see presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from investigations started on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may monitor call for training purposes.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Henllan both have in the region of forty five years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Henllan, conveyancing formalities finalised 4 years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Henllan with an extended lease are worth £202,000. The ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease expires on 21st October 2081

With just 57 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £28,500 and £33,000 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 renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously 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.

We are in the process of acquiring a property in Henllan. Conveyancing is not over but we wish to have the amount we are are purchasing for confidential from the likes of Zoopla. what can I do to make sure this is not revealed?

HM Land Registry are legally bound to disclose price paid data on a register of the title for residential properties nationwide which includes properties in Henllan. The register of ownership is a public document, so HM Land Registry would be breaking the law excluded certain properties such as your one in Henllan.

In essence you can make a request of the Land Registry to withhold the amount paid entry yet the response would be in the negative.