Me and my partner are soon to complete on the purchase of a house in Leicestershire but as a result of damage from some water damage at the property I have managed to agree compensation from the vendor in the sum of three thousand pounds by way of a deduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of amending the contract but Santander will not agree to this. Should they have been informed?

The conveyancer being on a Santander approved list is obliged to disclose to Santander of any changes to the purchase price. If you prohibit your solicitor to notify the reduction to Santander then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, Santander and you would have to appoint a new conveyancing practitioner for your conveyancing in Leicestershire.

When it comes to lenders such as Yorkshire BS, do Leicestershire lawyers have to pay a yearly amount to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are not aware of any lender fees to be on their panel, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

Can you point me to a directory of TSB panel conveyancers in Leicestershire on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings available online. Where you are seeking to appoint a Leicestershire property lawyer on the TSB please make the most of our facility.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Leicestershire. I have a mortgage offer with TSB. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with TSB, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the TSB conveyancing panel.

I bought my apartment on 8 August and the transaction details is not yet registered. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Leicestershire said it should be formalised in less than a month. Are properties in Leicestershire uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Leicestershire registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in England and Wales. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can vary depending on who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry communicate with any interested parties. At present roughly three quarters of submission are completed in less than three weeks but some can be subject to protracted delays. Historically registration takes place after the purchaser is living at the property so registration formalities is not always top priority yet if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer should contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I am buying a new build flat in Leicestershire. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Leicestershire

If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Leicestershire. Conveyancing has not commenced, however I have just had a half-yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay the service charge as you normally would given that all rents and maintenance invoices will be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, 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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until 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 invested in buying a 2 bed flat in Leicestershire, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Leicestershire with an extended lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2078

With only 55 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.