I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Saltney and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are swapping solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Saltney ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some 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. The buyers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

We hope to to buy with Melton Mowbray Building Society. I visited 3 or 4 local companies yet am unable to find a Saltney conveyancing firm on the Melton Mowbray Building Society approved list. Please you assist?

Feel free to take advantage of the find a lender approved solicitor tool on this page. Please choose the lender and type Saltney or your location and you will be presented with a number of lawyer located in Saltney or near you.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Kent Reliance, do Saltney conveyancing practitioners incur a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any lender fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I am purchasing a property in Saltney. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Skipton have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing instructions contained in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Skipton. The CML Handbook includes minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancers are required to report to Skipton where a lease does not comply with these conditions. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Saltney.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Saltney off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Nottingham. Conveyancing is new to me. 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 Nottingham, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

What does a local search reveal about the house we're buying in Saltney?

Saltney conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations for example Onsearch The local search is essential in every Saltney conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any unpleasant surprises after you move into your new home. The search should supply information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject headings.

I am looking at a two flats in Saltney which have in the region of forty five years left on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Saltney. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area.

I own a studio flat in Saltney, conveyancing formalities finalised in 1996. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Saltney with a long lease are worth £216,000. The ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2093

With 69 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use this information 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. You should not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.