I am buying an apartment in Verwood. My Conveyancer is not listed on the lender solicitor list. Is it possible for me to continue with my Verwood conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the mortgage company panel?

Your options include

• Carry on with your chosen Verwood solicitor but your lender will no doubt appoint a property lawyer from their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges together with probable frustration.
• Get a new conveyancing practitioner to act in the purchase, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to apply to join the lender panel

Are the BSA planning on creating a searchable register to list firms on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society conveyancing panel for example in Verwood?

We are not aware of any plans on the part of the BSA to promote such a search facility.

I am being told by my conveyancer that lack of planning permission insurance is required on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Verwood conveyancing?

The right level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and The Mortgage Works. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

We are getting a further advance on our home loan from HSBC as we intend to conduct alterations to our property in Verwood. Are we obliged to choose a local Verwood solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

HSBC would not normally instruct firms on their conveyancing panel to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the HSBC list.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Verwood conveyancing practitioners were selected. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Leeds Building Society?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Leeds Building Society completed the survey? Have you advised Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Verwood. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Leeds Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same property. Is it worth asking Leeds Building Society to clarify?

You need to 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 Verwood 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 mortgage companies. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who carried out the work.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £195,000 and found one close by in Verwood I like with amenity areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Verwood in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

If you need a home loan that many years may be problematic. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.