We are purchasing a 1 bedroom apartment in Catshill with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Catshill lawyer, but the mortgage company says he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel firms or keep our Catshill conveyancing practitioner and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Catshill conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Me and my partner are buying a property in Catshill. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? On the day of competition we will need to deposit money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Catshill. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Having for in every practical sense signed on the dotted line you must instruct a conveyancing lawyer as a matter of urgency as you now have a pending deadline in which to complete the purchase. All auction property should have a bespoke legal pack. This will likely include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the auction papers should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation specific to a leasehold property. You must pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that you have funds organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

I am selling my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in October 2007, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Nottingham are being a right pain. The Catshill solicitor who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Nottingham are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nottingham have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nottingham have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nottingham may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

My wife and I purchased a 4 bedroom Victorian house in Catshill. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Accord Mortgages Ltd. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should assess 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 proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Catshill 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 buyers. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

Is it possible to transfer to a new firm as I need to choose a firm on the Santander conveyancing list. I instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Catshill five minutes from me but she is not approved by Santander

It would be our pleasure to assist you select a conveyancing solicitor in Catshill on the Santander panel. Please note that the solicitors that we work with do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Catshill. In utilising the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this page, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Catshill.

Last May I purchased a leasehold flat in Catshill. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I own a 1 bedroom flat in Catshill, conveyancing formalities finalised February 2011. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Catshill with an extended lease are worth £211,000. The ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease ends on 21st October 2093

With just 68 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.