Is it necessary during the course of the conveyancing process to have a meeting at the offices of the solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will instruct a firm who offer conveyancing in Stapleton so that I can pop in to their offices if necessary.

These days approved lawyers for mortgage companies conduct the vast majority of communications via Royal Mail, internet or over the phone. This enables them to undertake the legal work for your home move regardless of where you live in England or Wales. Nevertheless you can see if you have the option of visiting the offices of your conveyancing lawyer if just in case this is required.

I am expecting a AIP from Santander this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Santander recommend any Stapleton solicitors on the Santander conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Stapleton solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Santander conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Santander through the process.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Stapleton. I have a mortgage agreed with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should have one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in November 2010, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, HSBC are being problematic. The Stapleton solicitor who is on the HSBC conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but HSBC are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do HSBC have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that HSBC have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why HSBC 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 purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian house in Stapleton. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Nottingham Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold under the matching property. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You should review 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 owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Stapleton 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 purchasers. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Stapleton conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Stapleton conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Stapleton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:

What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Stapleton in the last year? Can they put you in touch with clients in Stapleton who can give a testimonial?

Stapleton Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before buying

Please note that where the lease has fewer than eighty years it will affect the value of the apartment. It is worth checking with your lender that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. A short lease means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out what this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the premises for a couple of years in order to be eligible to extend the lease. Does the lease include onerous restrictions?

Please can you suggest a solicitor for conveyancing in Stapleton (or within 5klm)? It’s is for a remortgage.My wife and I did have one selected but just discovered that they can't deal with Principality.

LenderPanel.com is limited to being a directory service for property lawyers who want to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Principality in certain areas for instance Stapleton . Our intention is not to recommend any specific conveyancing practitioner.