I was informed today by my financial adviser that my Powys property lawyer is not on the lender Solicitor panel. What can I do to be certain if this is indeed the case?

You need to call your Powys lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you what has happened. Where they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a Powys conveyancing firm that is on the conveyancing panel for your bank.

We are planning to purchase with Loughborough BS. I visited 3 or 4 local firms yet am struggling to find a Powys conveyancing firm on the Loughborough BS panel. Please you assist?

Please do take advantage of the search tool on this page. Pick the mortgage company and type Powys or your location and you will be presented with numerous solicitors located in Powys or near you.

is it true that all Powys solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As solicitors, in order to be on the Co-operative approved list of solicitors they would need to be overseen by the SRA. The majority of banks do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such practice would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Coventry BS are being difficult. The Powys solicitor who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Coventry BS are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Coventry BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Coventry BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Coventry BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Clydesdale. Is it usual for Clydesdale to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Powys is approved on their conveyancing panel? Clydesdale have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Clydesdale to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Powys for my home move. Can I review a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

Anyone may review documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may monitor telephone calls for training purposes.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Powys with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Powys can be avoided if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
Many landlords or Management Companies in Powys levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Powys. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should double-check by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. Some Powys leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.

I invested in buying a basement flat in Powys, conveyancing was carried out in 2010. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar properties in Powys with a long lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2090

With 66 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range 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 comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.