We see that you have a post code search directory listing law firms on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Winslow?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Winslow.

What happens if my lawyer’s firm is suspended from the Skipton Solicitor panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Winslow?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

I'm spending time looking at houses in Winslow and I am about to put in an offer. Is it too early to have a solicitor in place? I am planning to take a home loan with Principality.

It would be prudent to commence your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their contact information on to the EA. As you are taking out a mortgage with Principality, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Principality conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

I can not work out if my lender requires a lease extension. I have telephoned my Winslow building society branch on various occasions and was told it does not affect the mortgage offer and they will lend. My Winslow conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they will not lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the conveyancer is on the bank panel, they must adhere to the CML Handbook requirements for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Kent Reliance. Is it usual for Kent Reliance to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Winslow is approved on their conveyancing panel? Kent Reliance have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I am four weeks into a freehold purchase having been recommend to a firm by the local agent to execute conveyancing in Winslow. I am am starting to be dissatisfied with the level of service. Can you help me find new lawyers?

They would have to be really bad to suggest replacing them. Has the mortgage offer been generated? If so you will need to make them aware of the replacement solicitor and get the offer are re-sent. Your new conveyancer should be on the banks panel to avoid supplemental fees and complications. That should be your starting point. Our find a solicitor tool can help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Winslow

I work for a reputable estate agency in Winslow where we have witnessed a few flat sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given inconsistent advice from local Winslow conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the owner of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I invested in buying a studio flat in Winslow, conveyancing having been completed 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding flats in Winslow with an extended lease are worth £176,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease expires on 21st October 2075

With 50 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.