I have just started taking steps with the aim of porting my current homeowner loan to a BTL HSBC Bank mortgage. I was told by my mortgage that I must appoint a solicitor as part of the process. I had a chat my previous Shefford conveyancing firm who who completed the conveyancing when I originally purchased the house. The fee estimate issued of just over five hundred pounds has taken me by surprise as I am not require purchase conveyancing - it’s just a bog-standard refinance.

The estimate fees seem a bit high. If you are willing to spend time scrutinising charges you could reduce the fees marginally by as much as £100 plus VAT. On the other hand, if you were content with the conveyancing the firm gave you couldlive to rue opting for an an untested solicitor. Remember to enquire the conveyancer can act for HSBC Bank. You can utilise our search tool to choose a Shefford conveyancing firm on the HSBC Bank approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Shefford.

The Shefford conveyancing firm that I appointed last week on my purchase in Shefford have without warning shut down. I chose them because I needed a lawyer on the Aldermore conveyancing panel and my preferred Shefford lawyer was not. I paid them 275 plus VAT on account. What do I do now?

Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would 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 Aldermore 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 should be in a position to assist.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Shefford for my house move. Is it possible to check a solicitor's record with the profession’s regulator?

Anyone can review presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes recorded call for training requirements.

Completion is due on our sale of a £225,000 flat in Shefford on Wednesday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Shefford?

Shefford conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not involves the buyer’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions the majority will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to complete the sale of your home.

I inherited a 1st floor flat in Shefford, conveyancing was carried out July 2010. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar properties in Shefford with a long lease are worth £211,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2093

You have 67 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

My partner and I are acquiring a 2 bedroom flat in Shefford. When we first instructed solicitor, they said that they were on all mainstream mortgage company panels. The mortgage broker emailed just now to advise that they are not on the Santander approved list. Were it to be true, what should we do? Do we simply choose a new conveyancer that is on their panel or do we pay for dual representation, with Santander appointing their own preferred property lawyer.

If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is usual for the purchaser’s solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a property lawyer has to be on that lender's list of approved lawyers. An application has to be made by the property lawyer to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the conveyancer has to satisfy. Some mortgage companies now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your conveyancing practitioner should call Santander to find out if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on Santander's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Shefford solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.