It has come to my attention via my IFA that my Oxford solicitor is not on the bank Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure whether this is correct?

You need to contact your Oxford conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to advise you what has happened. Where they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your bank.

We're in Oxford, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Lloyds , and our solicitor is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Can I be sure that the Oxford conveyancing solicitor on the Co-operative panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Oxford obtaining recommendations is a sensible starting point. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor conducting your transaction.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Oxford off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Lloyds. 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 Lloyds, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Lloyds conveyancing panel.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Oxford. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their solicitor. I paid an advanced payment of £200. A few days later, the property lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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.

Should I go with a Oxford conveyancing solicitor in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can handle the conveyancing however her office is a couple of hundredkilometers drive away.

The benefit of a local Oxford conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to sign paperwork, present your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Oxford know how is a bonus. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust used your friend and in the main were content that must trump using an unknown Oxford conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.

I have just started marketing my 2 bed apartment in Oxford. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is pay the invoice as you normally would because all ground rent and service payments should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I purchased a ground floor flat in Oxford, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Oxford with a long lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2081

With just 55 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns 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 based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.