Is the fact that my conveyancer in Stansted is not listed on my mortgage company's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of her conveyancing?

It would be unwise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 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 lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Stansted conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.

If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Stansted what would it be?

It would be unwise to be swayed by the cheapest Stansted conveyancing fees. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.

Intending to buy a maisonette in Stansted. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Stansted lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel.

My offer on a house in Stansted has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on a property, but it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other apartments booked. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Stansted. What do I do now? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Coventry BS?

It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx one thousand pounds, then survey, Stansted conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you should check that your lawyer is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. As to the next steps this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. During a hot market many buyers will apply for the mortgage with Coventry BS and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to press on with the conveyancing in Stansted.

I purchased a renovated Victorian house in Stansted. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Skipton Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Stansted and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

Taking into account that I am about to part with £400,000 on a house in Stansted I wish to talk to a solicitor concerning thetransaction prior to appointing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

We could not agree more - we would be pleased to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the conveyancer due to be doing your property ownership legalities in Stansted.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a case reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in Stansted should be the figure that you are charged.

I would like to rent out my leasehold flat in Stansted. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Your lease governs the relationship between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Stansted do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the flat. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a copy of the sublease.

Stansted Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Please inform me if there are any major works in the planning that will add a premium to the maintenance costs? Its a good idea to discover as much as possible about the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical issues like the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants what they think of them. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money. What is the name of the managing agents?