We are buying a 1 bedroom flat in Kingsdown with a mortgage. We like our Kingsdown conveyancer, however the bank says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel solicitors or continue with our Kingsdown solicitor as well as pay for one of their panel firms to act for them. We consider that this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. A further alternative is for your Kingsdown conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

I am helping my niece sell her flat in Kingsdown. Does the conveyancing solicitor order the EPC or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, EPC’s became a required element of moving house. An energy performance certificate needs to be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. This is not a task that law firms normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Kingsdown conveyancing practitioner they might be willing to arrange energy assessments given their contacts with long established Kingsdown providers

We were going to get a DIP from Skipton this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Skipton recommend any Kingsdown solicitors on the Skipton conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Kingsdown solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Skipton conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Skipton through the process.

About to purchase apartment in Kingsdown. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the HSBC conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Kingsdown conveyancing practitioner is on the HSBC conveyancing panel.

I purchased a semi-detached Victorian house in Kingsdown. Conveyancing solicitor acted for me and Alliance & Leicester . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Kingsdown and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.

I have just started marketing my basement flat in Kingsdown. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the service charge as you normally would as all rents and maintenance charges will be apportioned on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Kingsdown, conveyancing was carried out June 2001. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Kingsdown with an extended lease are worth £175,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2080

With just 58 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £23,800 and £27,400 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

We are looking to buy a repression house in Kingsdown and the mortgagee in possession would like to complete inside a week. Can a lawyer meet that timeframe? Am I best advised to select a high street Kingsdown firm or an online firm that advertises to complete quickly?

Attend your Kingsdown shopping parade. Go in to two or three firms and ask to talk to a conveyancing solicitor for a quote. Discuss your situation and seek a commitment on deadlines. Select the firm that appears most trustworthy. Be sure to use a conveyancing practitioner on the list of property lawyers approved by your lender.