My fiance and I are planning to buy a flat in Arundel and are in fact using a Arundel conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. have this morning contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Arundel conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. Is this a problem?

When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is standard for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Arundel lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.

Do lenders provide you with an approved list of Arundel conveyancing solicitors? How do you know who is on the conveyancing panel?

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

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to use their panel solicitor as I would much rather appoint a Arundel based conveyancing firm?

You should check but the chances are that appoint one of their panel lawyers if you accept the "fee-free" offer. Contact the lender to check if they allow a monetary alternative. Some lenders have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Arundel.

I have recently realised that I have 68 years left on my flat in Arundel. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. On the whole a specialist should be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document to be used as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Arundel.

Arundel Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

This information is useful as a) areas may result in problems in the building as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if services are not paid for b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? Many Arundel leasehold flats will incur a service charge for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the management company. Should you acquire the property you will have to pay this amount, normally in instalments throughout the year. This could vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, normally this is not a significant sum, say about £50-£100 but you should to check it because occasionally it could be surprisingly expensive.

We are contemplating instructing a web based ahead of a Arundel conveyancing firm. Any advice?

There are advantages of being able to visit a local Arundel conveyancing solicitor for instance

• signing documents same day
• often being able to see someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard transactions
• the ability to raise concerns if things go pear-shaped

When comparing fees, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent Arundel high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents appear to offer discounted fees, yet have burried 'extras' in the small print.