My wife and I are acquiring residence in Longton. My Solicitor has never been on on the bank solicitor panel. Can I still retain my Longton conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the lender panel?

Various options include

• Complete the deal with your preferred Longton conveyancing practitioner but your bank will undoubtedly retain a lawyer from their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional fees and probable interruption.
• Appoint a new property lawyer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to attempt to join the bank panel

I need some expedited conveyancing in Longton as I am under an ultimatum to complete in less than 3 weeks. Thankfully I do not need a mortgage. Can I avoid the conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

If.Given you are not obtaining a home loan you have the choice not to have searches carried out although no lawyer would advise that you don't. Drawing on our experience of conveyancing in Longton the following are instances of issues that can crop up and adversely affect the marketability of the property: Refused Planning Applications, Outstanding Charges, Outstanding Grants, Railway Schemes,...

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Longton is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Longton are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Longton you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Longton may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Longton for my sale. Can I check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

You can search for documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training requirements.

I am employed by a busy estate agent office in Longton where we see a few leasehold sales put at risk due to short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local Longton conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

I own a ground floor flat in Longton, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2007. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Longton with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2090

You have 70 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.