My IFA has asked me for my Seaton Sluice law firm’s panel reference for the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have e-mailed my local Seaton Sluice branch but they have not responded to me.

You are best placed to get this information from your Seaton Sluice conveyancer . They should have a central record lender panel numbers.

Me and my partner are due to complete buying a property in Seaton Sluice but as a result of damage from the recent storms I have was able negotiate recompense from the current proprietors of £3k in the form of a reduction in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process however HSBC are not allowing this. Why were they approached?

Any solicitor being on a HSBC conveyancing panel is obliged to advise HSBC of any variations to the sale price. If you prohibit your solicitor to notify the price change to HSBC then they would have to discontinue acting for you. In addition, HSBC and you would have to appoint a new conveyancing practitioner for your conveyancing in Seaton Sluice.

There are a variety of conveyancing solicitors in Seaton Sluice but how do I know who's good?

We would encourage you not to go for the lowest Seaton Sluice conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

We had selected solicitors located in Seaton Sluice on the RBS solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a separate sum for the legal aspects of the RBS mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee specified by RBS?

Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your solicitor can levy a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by RBS but by your Seaton Sluice property lawyer. Plenty of firms on the RBS panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

We are getting a further advance on our home loan from HSBC as we intend to carry out improvements to our house in Seaton Sluice. Are we obliged to choose a local Seaton Sluice solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

HSBC would not normally appoint a member of their approved list of lawyers to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the HSBC conveyancing panel.

Is it simple use your search tool to find a conveyancing solicitor in Seaton Sluice on the approved list for my mortgage?

Step one is to select a mortgage company such as Yorkshire Building Society, The Royal Bank of Scotland or TSB then choose your preferred area for instance Seaton Sluice. Conveyancing practices in Seaton Sluice and nationally will then be shown.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Seaton Sluice with the intention of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Seaton Sluice can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers’ lawyers.
If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is a current dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unresolved. You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check via your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is below 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale. If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Seaton Sluice leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Where you fail to have the consents in place do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor first.

I bought a leasehold flat in Seaton Sluice, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Seaton Sluice with over 90 years remaining are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2101

With 76 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.