The owners of the property we are hoping to buy are using a conveyancing solicitor in Rumney who has recommended a preliminary agreement with a non-refundable deposit two thousand pounds. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

This kind of agreement is unusual in Rumney, conveyancers are often inclined to veer clients away from them as they detract from the primary focus, namely conveyancing and if you end up losing your deposit then the lawyer at best left with an upset client and at worst a litigious one. Secondly, there is no assurance that just because the vendor has entered into a lock out agreement they will sell to you. They may breach the agreement if they are offered a large enough offer to do so because a wronged party with the benefit of a lockout agreement will still be obliged show losses as a consequence of the breach and this may not compare to the extra amount that your vendor may gain by breaching the agreement, however morally shameful that may be.

How do I find out if the solicitor carrying out my conveyancing in Rumney is on the lender’sconveyancing panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for thus spending £192.00 in another set of legal bill.

You should make the most of the find a conveyancing panel solicitor tool on this web page. Pick the mortgage company and type ‘Rumney’ or your preferred area and you will be presented with a number of lawyer offices in Rumney or by proximity to you.

My friend advised me that where I am buying in Rumney I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is usually quoted for as part of the standard Rumney conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Rumney around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Rumney.

My husband and I are a fortnight into a leasehold purchase having been directed to a firm by the selling agent to handle our conveyancing in Rumney. I am am very dissatisfied with the level of service. Can you help me find new solicitors?

They would need to be very poor to suggest replacing them. Has your mortgage been issued? If so you need to advise them of the new contact details and ensure the offer are issued to the new lawyers. Your conveyancer needs to be on the lenders panel to avoid added expenses and delays. So that should be your first question of the new conveyancers. The search tool can assist you in finding a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Rumney

I inherited a split level flat in Rumney, conveyancing having been completed 3 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Rumney with a long lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease expires on 21st October 50

With only 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £36,100 and £41,800 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 are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.