I am five weeks into the sale of my flat in North Acton and the estate agent has just called to say that the buyers are changing their solicitor. The reason given is that the lender will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. Why would a big named mortgage company only work with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in North Acton ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms 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. The purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

Some advice if I may. My North Acton lawyer is assuring me that she is duty bound toconduct North Acton conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Virgin Moneyapproved lawyer panel. Is my solicitor right?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a home loan with a mortgage company your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your property lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out North Acton conveyancing searches.

I am buying a property and the solicitor has referenced Chancel Repair to which the house may be liable given it’s proximity to the area of such a church. He has recommended insurance. Is this really appropriate for conveyancing in North Acton

Unless a prior purchase of the house completed post 12 October 2013 you can expect lawyers delivering conveyancing in North Acton to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

In sourcing the internet for the term on line conveyancing in North Acton it reveals numerous solicitorsin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right conveyancer for the sale of my house?

The preferential method of finding a suitable conveyancer is via personal recommendation, so ask colleagues and those you trust who have bought a property in North Acton or the respected estate agent or financial adviser. Costs for conveyancing in North Acton vary, so it's a good idea to secure at least four fee calculations from varying types of law firms. Dont forget to clarify that the costs are assured not to to be inflated.

I am looking at a couple of flats in North Acton which have in the region of forty five years remaining on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in North Acton. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease deteriorates and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena.

I am the registered owner of a 1 bedroom flat in North Acton, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2009. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in North Acton with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2093

With 69 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.