Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Sawtry is not on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?

That is more than likely an incorrect assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly 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 solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Where you are concerned you should simply call the Sawtry conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

Does a directory service exist listing Skipton panel conveyancers in Sawtry on the Building Society Association’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings visible on the web. If you are looking for a Sawtry conveyancer on the Skipton please make the most of our facility.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Coventry BS are being difficult. The Sawtry solicitor who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Coventry BS are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Coventry BS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Coventry BS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Coventry BS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I had an offer accepted on a property in Sawtry on 24/5/2024, valuation was booked five days later, all came back fine. Conveyancer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Lloyds and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Lloyds to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Lloyds conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Sawtry and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Sawtry. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Sawtry area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Sawtry. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Sawtry. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Sawtry - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title. For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I bought a studio flat in Sawtry, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Sawtry with an extended lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2095

With 71 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

I own a leasehold flat in Sawtry. Conveyancing was completed in 2010. I have read on numerous consumer forums that I should not let the the remaining lease term to fall too short. What is the reasoning?

Sawtry domestic long term leases are for a fixed term - usually 99 years when they commenced. However many appartments in Sawtry were built or converted 20 or more years ago and so such leases now have under 80 years remaining. That may sound like a long time but Banks, Building Societies and other mortgage institutions on the whole require leases to have a minimum of seventy five years unexpired to adequate security. This means that when you come to sell the property you will need a lease extension if you are approaching 75 years. To enhance the marketability of your property you should be considering whether or not to extend your lease long before you come to sell it. You should note that there are significant benefits to doing so before the lease hits 80 years as when the lease is below eighty years the premium to be paid to extend starts to escalate.