Is the fact that my solicitor in Woodhouse and Handsworth is not listed on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?

That would more than likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed 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) lack 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. Where you are concerned you should simply call the Woodhouse and Handsworth conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.

I am thinking of refinancing my flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth, does my lawyer have to be on the Nationwide Conveyancing panel?

In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Nationwide conveyancing panel, but Nationwide would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Woodhouse and Handsworth is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Woodhouse and Handsworth are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Woodhouse and Handsworth you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Woodhouse and Handsworth may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

Given that I will soon part with hundreds of thousands of pounds on a terraced house in Woodhouse and Handsworth I wish to talk to a conveyancer concerning thehome move in advance of giving the go ahead to 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 liaising with the solicitor due to be conducting your conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important person, not a case reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are provided with for your conveyancing in Woodhouse and Handsworth should be the figure that you end up paying.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £475,000 apartment in Woodhouse and Handsworth in seven days. The management company has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Woodhouse and Handsworth?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Woodhouse and Handsworth conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

Answering conveyancing due diligence questions Where consent is required before sale in Woodhouse and Handsworth Copies of the building insurance and schedule Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Woodhouse and Handsworth leasehold property is £350. For Woodhouse and Handsworth conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply the information.

I invested in buying a garden flat in Woodhouse and Handsworth, conveyancing having been completed 5 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding properties in Woodhouse and Handsworth with an extended lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2100

With 75 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.