I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in St Davids for our house purchase. Our financial adviser has since notified us that our bank Barclays Direct won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?

Before the recession most lenders had an appetite for risk which was higher than today. Almost all St Davids conveyancing firms would have been on many lender panels. The financial services regulator in 2010 conducted a thematic review into mortgage fraud which concluded: know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, lenders have regularly sought more information from law firms about their operations and the individuals who work for them and set certain criteria such a completing on a minimum amount of transactions. Many St Davids conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. St Davids is one of the many areas where the conveyancers we recommend are on the panel for Barclays Direct.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial premises in St Davids?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in St Davids will carry out a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in St Davids. The search result provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in St Davids.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in St Davids it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately could cause delays to St Davids commercial conveyancing transactions as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in St Davids.

How does conveyancing in St Davids differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in St Davids contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is finished. This is because builders in St Davids tend to buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in St Davids or who has acted in the same development.

How does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial offices in St Davids and how can your lawyers assist?

The particular law that you refer to affords protection to commercial lessees, granting the right to make a request to court for a new tenancy and continue in occupation when the lease reaches an end. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are involved. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. St Davids is one of our numerous areas of the UK in which the firms we work with are located

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in St Davids with the aim of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in St Davids can be bypassed where you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
Many landlords or managing agents in St Davids levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in St Davids. If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to 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 ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as over rather than ongoing. You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should verify this by asking your conveyancers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is below 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale. In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? St Davids leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. If you dont have the consents in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your conveyancer before hand.

I purchased a 1st floor flat in St Davids, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in St Davids with over 90 years remaining are worth £191,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2078

With only 54 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending 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 considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.