I am 3 weeks into the sale of my ground floor flat in Rhyl and the estate agent has just text me to advise that the buyers are switching property lawyer. The excuse is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major mortgage company only deal with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Rhyl ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for over 25 years.

Lending institutions point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Rhyl for our home move. Our broker informed us that our mortgage company Accord Mortgages Ltd won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unduly restrictive?

A decade ago most lenders had a different appetite for risk. Almost all Rhyl conveyancing firms would have been on many lender panels. The FSA in 2010 conducted a thematic investigation into mortgage fraud which come to the conclusion: know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, mortgage companies are increasingly seeing more data from law firms relating to their operations and their employees and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum volume of conveyancing. Many Rhyl conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Rhyl is amongst the numerous areas where the lawyers showing on our search results are members of the panel for Accord Mortgages Ltd.

How do I identify a Rhyl law firm on the Nottingham Building Society conveyancing panel? I drive a motor bike and am willing to travel upto 10miles to meet the lawyer.

Feel free to make use of the facility on this page. Please choose the mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Rhyl conveyancing lawyers locally. We have listed some Rhyl conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can telephone them to see whether they are on the Nottingham Building Society approved list

As co-executor for the estate of my grandfather I am disposing of a residence in Neath but I am based in Rhyl. My lawyer (approximately 235 miles awayneeds me to sign a statutory declaration before the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Rhyl to attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or qualified solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Rhyl based

What makes a Rhyl lease unacceptable for security purposes?

Leasehold conveyancing in Rhyl is not unique. Most leases are individual and drafting errors can result in certain sections are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the building Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You could have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Lloyds TSB Bank, Leeds Building Society, and Nottingham Building Society all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

I purchased a leasehold flat in Rhyl, conveyancing was carried out in 1998. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Rhyl with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2090

With just 65 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £13,300 and £15,400 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to 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.