My IFA requires my Gotham lawyer’ panel reference for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I find this out. I have e-mailed my local Gotham branch but they have not got back to me yet.

The sensible thing to do is ask for this information from your Gotham conveyancer . They keep a central record lender panel numbers.

Some advice if I may. My Gotham conveyancer is advising me that he is legally obliged toapply for Gotham conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Santandersolicitor panel. Do I not have a choice here?

You have limited options available to you. As you are obtaining a mortgage with a bank your conveyancing practitioner has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Gotham conveyancing searches.

I can see plenty of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Gotham but can you isolate your top tip for finding the right conveyancer in Gotham

It would be unwise to be seduced by the lowest Gotham conveyancing quote. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I've digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Gotham solicitor - who is on the Principality conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Principality will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Principality will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Gotham surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

After what feels like an age I have had an offer on a flat in Gotham accepted, but there is a chain. The owners have placed an offer on a property, however it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a high street conveyancing solicitor in Gotham. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Co-operative going?

It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then valuation, Gotham conveyancing search fees, etc). The first thing to do is ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. Regarding the subsequent stages this very much dictated by the circumstances of your transaction, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market the majority of buyers will apply for a home loan with Co-operative and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to press on with searches.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one near me in Gotham I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Gotham suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the shortness of the lease may be an issue. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Gotham. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Gotham who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Gotham conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Gotham, conveyancing having been completed February 2001. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Gotham with a long lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £45 per annum. The lease expires on 21st October 2089

With only 64 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £14,300 and £16,400 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.