I am progressing with the sale of my apartment in Kings Lynn and the EA has just called to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new property lawyer. The reason given is that the bank will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Kings Lynn ?

Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

Last October we completed a house move in Kings Lynn. We have since encountered a number of issues with the house which we believe were missed in the conveyancing searches. Is there anything we can do? Can you clarify the nature of searches that should have been carried out for conveyancing in Kings Lynn?

It is not clear from the question as what problems have arisen and if they are relate to conveyancing in Kings Lynn. Conveyancing searches and due diligence undertaken during the legal transfer of property are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, a property owner fills in a form known as a Seller’s Property Information Form. answers provided is inaccurate, then you may have a claim against the owner for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Kings Lynn.

I am looking for a conveyancing practitioner in Kings Lynn for my house move. Is it possible to see a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?

One can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded telephone calls for training requirements.

What makes a Kings Lynn lease unacceptable for security purposes?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Kings Lynn. All leases are drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, Coventry Building Society, and Aldermore all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I bought a basement flat in Kings Lynn, conveyancing formalities finalised 4 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent flats in Kings Lynn with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2081

You have 55 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns 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 without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Is there a distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Kings Lynn?

Conveyancing - in Kings Lynn or elsewhere - is the legal term given to transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you’re purchasing and will help you find out about the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you leverage for reducing the price down or asking the seller to fix the problems before you move in.