I am progressing with the sale of my flat in Kingstanding and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are changing their law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only work with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a major lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Kingstanding ?

Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for over 25 years.

Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed 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 claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some 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 unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Kingstanding. My lender is Virgin

Virgin have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 27/8/2025, the requirements read as follows :

What is the difference between a licensed conveyancer and conveyancing solicitor in Kingstanding

There are two types of lawyers who can carry out conveyancing in Kingstanding namely CLC regulated conveyancers or solicitors. The two can administer the legal services that you need to complete the disposal or acquisition of property. Both are required to handle Kingstanding conveyancing on similar standards and guidelines so you may be safe in the knowledge that your conveyancing will be professionally administered and that the necessary steps will be suitably adhered to.

When it comes to lenders such as Santander, do Kingstanding property lawyers incur a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any bank fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I recently had an offer agreed on an apartment in Kingstanding. My mortgage broker suggested a conveyancer. I paid an upfront payment of £200. A couple of days later, the solicitor called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Co-operative panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

How does conveyancing in Kingstanding differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Kingstanding approach us having been asked by the builder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is built. This is because new home sellers in Kingstanding typically purchase the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Kingstanding or who has acted in the same development.

What makes a Kingstanding lease unacceptable for security purposes?

Leasehold conveyancing in Kingstanding is not unique. Most leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can result in certain clauses are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party. Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

You will have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Halifax, The Royal Bank of Scotland, and Alliance & Leicester all have very detailed conveyancing instructions 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 withdraw.

I bought a garden flat in Kingstanding, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Kingstanding with an extended lease are worth £171,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2104

With just 79 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £7,600 and £8,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.