I am buying a flat in Oxford. My lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company approved panel. Is it possible for me to retain my Oxford conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the mortgage company list of approved lawyers?

You have numerous choices open to you here

• Carry on with your existing Oxford property lawyer but your lender will undoubtedly appoint a property lawyer from their approved list. The net result is additional cost together with potential delay.
• Appoint a fresh conveyancing practitioner to conduct the conveyancing, obviously checking they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancing practitioner to apply to join the mortgage company panel

I have a mortgage with Coventry BS for my property in Oxford. Conveyancing was finalised a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Coventry BS?

Your original mortgage agreement with Coventry BS will provide that you need their approval prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Coventry BS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Coventry BS directly. You need not do this via a Coventry BS conveyancing panel lawyer.

I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Nationwide. Is it usual for Nationwide to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Oxford is approved on their conveyancing panel? Nationwide have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Nationwide to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

At last I have had an offer on an apartment in Oxford agreed to, the sellers do nevertheless have an associated purchase. The vendors have put an offer on somewhere, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have chosen a local conveyancing solicitor in Oxford. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with UBS started?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses prematurely (home loan application is approx one thousand pounds, then valuation, Oxford conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you must check that your conveyancer is on the UBS approved list. Concerning the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your case, desire for this property and on the state of the market. In a hot market many purchasers would apply for the mortgage with UBS and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their conveyancing practitioner to move forward with searches.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Oxford. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Oxford

Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. 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. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing practitioner in Oxford for my remortgage. Can I see a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

You may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a firm's history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded call for training requirements.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Oxford from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Oxford can be reduced where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is less than 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale. If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Arranging a re-issued share certificate is often a lengthy process and frustrates many a Oxford conveyancing transaction. If a duplicate share is needed, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible. Many freeholders or managing agents in Oxford charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Oxford.

Oxford Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

The majority of Oxford leasehold flats will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block set by the freeholder. If you purchase the flat you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly during the year. This could vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. In all probability there will be a rentcharge to be met annual, normally this is not a large sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to check as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. What is the service charge and ground rent on the flat? Are there any major works in the planning that will increase the service costs?