Is the fact that my solicitor in Leyland is not listed on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?

It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) lack of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Leyland conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

I own a freehold house in Leyland yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Leyland and has limited impact for conveyancing in Leyland but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges date back hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be extinguished.

I am the sole beneficiary of my late father’s will with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Leyland. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in . I now wish to sell up. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', which means that my property ownership may be treated the same way as if I'd bought the property in . Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?

The CML handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you could be caught by that. Most mortgage companies would take a pragmatic view as this obligation primarily exists to capture subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of property.

I'm in the process of looking at apartments in Leyland and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it sensible to have my on ‘stand by’? I am planning to take a home loan with .

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with , ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Leyland off the council. I have a mortgage offer with . Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use 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 , you will need to appoint a solicitor on the conveyancing panel.

Hoping to buy a property located in Leyland and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Leyland. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Leyland area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Leyland. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Leyland for my purchase. Is there any facility to review a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

Members of the public can see documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, call 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 could recorded call for training reasons.