Can you clarify what the consequences are if my solicitor is removed from the Nationwide Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Redland?

First, this is a very rare occurrence. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

We are purchasing a house in Redland. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to put funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I have paid off my mortgage with Principality. I assume I don't need a Redland lawyer on the Principality panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Principality mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Principality mortgage from the register. Principality, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Principality has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Principality has instructed the Land Registry to do so

The mortgage over my property is with Nationwide for my property in Redland. 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 Nationwide?

You must advise Nationwide before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Nationwide’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Nationwide 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 Nationwide directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Nationwide conveyancing panel lawyer.

How difficult is it to transfer to a new conveyancer as I need to appoint a firm on the Britannia conveyancing panel. I was using a family conveyancing solicitor in Redland round the corner but he is not approved by Britannia

It would be our pleasure to help you find a conveyancing solicitor in Redland on the Britannia panel. Please note that the property lawyers that we list do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Redland. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Redland.

We are 14 days into a leasehold purchase having been directed to conveyancers by the estate agent to handle our conveyancing in Redland. I am am starting to be frustrated with the level of service. Could you you assist me in finding new lawyers?

A solicitor would have to be very bad in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the mortgage been sent? In the event that it has you need to make them aware of the new contact details and ensure the offer are re-sent. Your new conveyancer should be on the lenders panel to avoid supplemental fees and frustration. So that should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our find a solicitor tool should help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Redland

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Redland with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Redland can be reduced if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
The majority of freeholders or Management Companies in Redland levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold home. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. 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 Redland. If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate can be a time consuming formality and slows down many a Redland home move. If a new share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later. If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Redland state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such changes. Where you dont have the approvals in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance.

I acquired a ground floor flat in Redland, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1998. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Redland with over 90 years remaining are worth £181,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2074

With only 50 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.