Much to our surprise we have been advised by our mortgage broker that my Reading solicitor is not on the lender Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be certain that this is indeed the case?

The best course of action for you to take is to call your Reading conveyancer. You lawyer should advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your lender.

We are due to complete buying a property in Reading but as a consequence of damage from some water damage at the property I have was able negotiate compensation from the vendor in the sum of three thousand pounds in the form of a deduction in the price. I had intended this to be dealt with as part of a side agreement yet TSB will not agree to this. Should they have been notified?

Any property lawyer being on a TSB approved list is duty bound to disclose to TSB of any variations to the purchase price. If you prohibit your solicitor to report the price change to TSB then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, TSB and you would have to appoint a new property lawyer for your conveyancing in Reading.

Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Reading is more expensive?

Reading leasehold conveyancing transactions usually involve additional investigations than freeholds including investigating the Lease, liaising with the Landlord such as serving appropriate notices on the Landlord or managing agent, obtaining up-to-date service charge and management information, obtaining Landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts and formation documents.

Is it the case that all Reading CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel?

It is true that some lenders now use CQS as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Reading. I have a mortgage offer with Nationwide. 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 Nationwide, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Reading. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their conveyancer. I paid an advanced payment of £225. A couple of days later, the lawyer contacted me to say that they were not on the Virgin Money 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 Virgin Money 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.

Last May I purchased a leasehold house in Reading. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

Reading Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Best to be warned whether a new roof is being put on or some other major work is due shortly to be shared amongst the tenants and will dramatically increase the the maintenance costs or require a one off payment. How much is the ground rent and service charge?