I am hoping to receive a mortgage with Halifax. I would like to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Sandy. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel include Licensed Conveyancers?

The Halifax conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

The Sandy conveyancing firm that just started acting on my house acquisition in Sandy have without warning shut down. I only went with them because I needed a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel and my family Sandy lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take one hundred and fifty pounds for searches. What should be my next steps?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to assist.

I am looking for a flat up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Sandy I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sandy in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

Should you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this.

Taking into account that I will soon part with over three hundred thousand on a two bedroom apartment in Sandy I wish to have a conversation with the lawyer concerning thetransaction prior to appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?

This is something that we encourage - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor due to be carrying out your conveyancing in Sandy.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique person, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for residential conveyancing in Sandy should be the figure that you are charged.

Is it the case that all Sandy solicitors on every bank conveyancing panel?

You can use our search tool or you can pop into your local lender branch in Sandy. Chances are that they can recommend conveyancing solicitors in Sandy