Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Huntingdon is not on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of her work?

That would most likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Huntingdon conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.

Do all mortgage companies provide you with an approved list of Huntingdon conveyancing solicitors? How do you know who is on the conveyancing panel?

Huntingdon conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from directly.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £195,000 and found one near me in Huntingdon I like with open areas and transport links in the vicinity, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Huntingdon suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be problematic. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.

What does commercial conveyancing in Huntingdon cover?

Non domestic conveyancing in Huntingdon incorporates a broad array of guidance, given by qualified solicitors, relating to business premises. For instance, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the transfer of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of leases.

Back In 2006, I bought a leasehold house in Huntingdon. Conveyancing and mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Huntingdon who previously acted has long since retired. What should I do?

First contact HMLR to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Huntingdon conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I purchased a ground floor flat in Huntingdon, conveyancing having been completed 3 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? Corresponding flats in Huntingdon with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 50

You have 50 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £36,100 and £41,800 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.