Is the fact that my conveyancer in Rutland is not on my bank's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the standard of her conveyancing?

It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Rutland conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

Is it the case that all Rutland CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Kent Reliance 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 gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Yorkshire BS. Rutland conveyancing practitioners are appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Yorkshire BS?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Yorkshire BS completed the valuation? Have you advised Yorkshire BS as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Rutland. I have a mortgage offer with Coventry BS. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use 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 Coventry BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel.

How do I identify a Rutland law firm on the Barclays Direct conveyancing panel? I have a car and am prepared to travel upto 20miles to meet the lawyer.

You can use the facility on this website. Please pick a mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Rutland conveyancing lawyers based on proximity. We have detailed some Rutland conveyancing firms at the bottom of this page and you can call them to verify if they are on the Barclays Direct member panel

Last November I purchased a leasehold flat in Rutland. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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).

I bought a split level flat in Rutland, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1999. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Rutland with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2085

With just 62 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £17,100 and £19,800 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Rutland.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have recently had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the maintenance contribution as normal as all rents and maintenance payments will be allottedas part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially