I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Poole before instructing solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor advised that some mortgage companies may refuse to give a mortgage on this type of home.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can check with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Poole. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Poole to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

How straightforward is it to use your search tool to locate a conveyancing lawyer in Poole on the authorised to act for my mortgage?

Step one is to pick a mortgage company such as HSBC Bank, Virgin Money or Barclays Direct then type in your preferred area such as Poole. Conveyancing firms in Poole and beyond will then be shown.

My step-father has recommend that I use his conveyancers in Poole. Should I choose my own solicitor?

No doubt the ideal way to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have recommendations from friends or family who have used the conveyancer you're considering.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement apartment in Poole. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, but I have recently received a quarterly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the service charge as you normally would given that all ground rent and maintenance charges should be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice 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 inherited a 1 bedroom flat in Poole, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2008. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Poole with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease finishes on 21st October 2093

With only 68 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The figure above 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 are no doubt other 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 seeking the advice of a professional.

My work colleague mentioned that before selecting a conveyancing firm they must be approved by your lender. I am first time buyer with but I have an offer in principle from Halifax and I already have a family conveyancing lawyer in Poole at the ready. Can Santander need an approved solicitor to be used? If so, where can I find that list for my conveyancing in Poole?

You need to instruct a solicitor that is on the Santander panel. The simplest thing to do is call your chosen Poole conveyancing solicitor and ask if they are on the Santander panel. If they are not on the panel you have a couple of alternatives open to you here:

• Complete the purchase with your existing Poole lawyer but Santander will no doubt instruct a conveyancer on their approved panel. This will result in additional charges together with likely interruption.
• Appoint a fresh conveyancer to act in the purchase, not forgetting to check that they are on the Santander conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancer to do everything possible to get listed on the Santander conveyancing panel.