The owners have rather brash vendors who has insisted on a preliminary agreement with a payment of 5k. Are such arrangements appropriate for Fairwater conveyancing transactions?

Lock out agreements are contracts binding a home owner and purchaser granting the buyer exclusive rights to purchase the premises within an agreed time frame. For all intents and purposes, a lock out agreement is a contract stating that you should be issued with a contract at a later date being the contract for the actual sale. It tends to be utilised for buyer assurance though in many situations, the vendor may enjoy an upside from such agreements as well. There are various positives and negatives to having them but you need to check with your solicitor but beware that it may result in costing you extra in conveyancing fees. For this these agreements are unusual in relation to conveyancing in Fairwater.

We are planning to acquire a flat and need a conveyancing solicitor in Fairwater who is on the Nottingham solicitor panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Nottingham . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Fairwater.

Having spent time researching consumer advice sites for a high-quality solicitor in Fairwater, many post that I should instruct a CQS kitemarked solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?

The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised quality mark for legal experts in buying or selling property, trusted by some of the UK's leading mortgage companies. In 2011-12 the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Association of British Insurers (ABI). The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Fairwater is one of the many areas of the UK where there are CQS lawyers.

I am assisting my step-mother sell her house in Fairwater. Does the solicitor order an energy performance certificate or should I organise this?

After the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments was kept a mandatory part of selling a property. An energy assessment must be commissioned before the property is marketed. It is not a task that law firms normally arrange. Where you are using a Fairwater conveyancing lawyer they may be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their relationships with reputable local providers

My partner and I have arranged a further advance on our home loan from Clydesdale as we wish to conduct renovations to our home in Fairwater. Do we need to choose a local Fairwater solicitor on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel to deal with the legals?

Clydesdale don't usually appoint a member of their conveyancing panel to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Clydesdale panel.

I am expecting a OIP from RBS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do RBS recommend any Fairwater solicitors on the RBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Fairwater solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the RBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and RBS through the process.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £350,000 garden flat in Fairwater next Monday. The managing agents has quoted £336 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Fairwater?

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

Addressing pre-exchange enquiries Where consent is required before sale in Fairwater Supplying insurance information Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Fairwater leasehold property is £350. For Fairwater 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 provide answers.

I acquired a basement flat in Fairwater, conveyancing having been completed in 2004. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable properties in Fairwater with over 90 years remaining are worth £260,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2100

With 75 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £8,600 and £9,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.