My IFA has requested my Yeovil lawyer’ panel member for the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I obtain this. I have contacted my local Yeovil office but they don't know it.

The sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your Yeovil solicitor . Most Yeovil conveyancing practices will retain a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each bank.

How up to date is your search tool for Yeovil conveyancing solicitors on the Skipton conveyancing panel? Do Skipton send you an updated list?

Yeovil conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Skipton directly.

We're in Yeovil, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Yorkshire BS , and our solicitor is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Is it best to go with a Yeovil conveyancing solicitor who is local to the property I am purchasing? An old friend can execute the conveyancing but they are based 300kilometers drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Yeovil conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to sign documents, deliver your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local knowledge which is a benefit. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were impressed that should surpass using an unfamiliar Yeovil conveyancing solicitor just because they are local.

What makes a Yeovil lease defective?

Leasehold conveyancing in Yeovil is not unique. All leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

A duty to insure the building

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Birmingham Midshires, Virgin Money, and Aldermore all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.

I purchased a garden flat in Yeovil, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Yeovil with an extended lease are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2090

With only 65 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £13,300 and £15,400 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.