I am buying an apartment in Swansea. My lawyer is not on the bank approved list. Is it possible for me to retain my Swansea conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the lender panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?

You have numerous alternatives open to you here

• Carry on with your preferred Swansea conveyancing practitioner but your lender will no doubt retain a lawyer on their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges and potential frustration.
• Get a fresh lawyer to act in the purchase, ensuring that they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your property lawyer to apply to join the bank panel

My bank has suggested a law firm on their panel based in Swansea but I would rather instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Swansea or nearer to where I live. Can you assist?

The minority of Swansea conveyancing practitioners are on all lender’s conveyancing panel. Use the above search tool to locate a Swansea conveyancing solicitor on the on the mortgage company panel.

What is your number one tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Swansea

We would encourage you not to base your choice on the lowest Swansea conveyancing costs illustration. You really do get what you’re paying 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 know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

I am purchasing a 3 bedroom semi in Swansea. The intention is to carry out an extension to the side at the house.Will the conveyancing process involve investigations to see if these works are allowed?

Your property lawyer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Swansea can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain works or need the consent of another owner. Many extensions need local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be prudent to check these issues with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

We previously appointed solicitors locally in Swansea on the Co-operative solicitor approved list. They have just billed me a supplemental charge for handling the Co-operative mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Co-operative?

Provided it is contained in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your lawyer can levy a fee for this. The charge is not dictated by Co-operative but by your Swansea property lawyer. Plenty of firms on the Co-operative panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

I am buying a new build house in Swansea with a loan from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent suggested that I not disclose to my conveyancer about this deal as it could impact my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Swansea I like with open areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Swansea in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be problematic. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.