Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a searchable register to to identify law firms on the Darlington Building Society conveyancing panel for instance in Roath?

Lexsure has not been advised of any plans on the part of the BSA to develop such a search facility.

I have todaybeen informed that Action Conveyancing have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in Roath for a purchase of a leasehold flat 18 months ago. How can I establish that my home is not still registered in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest method to see if the premises is registered to you, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Roath conveyancing specialists.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a house in Roath prior to retaining conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor has said that some banks may refuse to grant a loan on such a home.

It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Roath. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

As co-executor for the estate of my father I am selling a house in Swansea but live in Roath. My lawyer (who is 250 kilometers awayhas requested that I execute a statutory declaration ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Roath who can witness this legal document for me?

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

I have recently realised that I have 68 years unexpired on my flat in Roath. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. For most situations a specialist would be useful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Roath.

I invested in buying a leasehold flat in Roath, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2005. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent flats in Roath with a long lease are worth £222,000. The ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2096

With just 71 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.