Please help. My Johnstown conveyancer is assuring me that he is legally obliged toorder Johnstown conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Santanderconveyancing panel. Is my solicitor correct?

You have limited options available to you. Given that you are taking out a loan with a mortgage company your conveyancing practitioner has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Johnstown conveyancing searches.

I have recentlybecome aware that Action Conveyancing have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Johnstown for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 9 months ago. How can I check that the property is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Johnstown conveyancing specialists.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Johnstown for my house move. Is there any facility to review a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Anyone can read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training reasons.

Last December I purchased a leasehold flat in Johnstown. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I own a studio flat in Johnstown, conveyancing formalities finalised July 1995. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Johnstown with over 90 years remaining are worth £227,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2096

With 72 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

I have instructed a Johnstown conveyancing solicitor for our house purchase (novice purchasers) and have picked up in the Ts and Cs that they are not covered by the FCA. Should I be worried or is that usually the case with conveyancer?

We can't see why they should be. Most lawyer don't lend money. They should be regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who set specific stipulations in relation to amounts deposited in their bank.