My mortgage broker says he needs my Hermitage solicitor’s panel member for the Santander conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have e-mailed my local Hermitage office but they cant find it on their system.

Have you tried calling your Hermitage conveyancing practitioner about this?. Most Hermitage conveyancing firms will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each mortgage company.

My lawyer has uncovered a a legal deficiency with the lease for the apartment we are purchasing in Hermitage. The seller’s lawyers have offered title insurance as a workaround. We are happy with insurance and will cover the costs. Our conveyancer says that he must ensure that the lender is willing to move forward with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?

Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the bank does not mean to say that the property will meet their provisions for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the bank are the client. These conveyancing instructions must be adhered to.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Hermitage? Why is this being asked of me?

Hermitage conveyancing solicitors as well as nationwide property lawyers throughout the UK have an obligation under Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules to check the identity of any client with a view to ensure that clients are who they say they are.

Conveyancing clients will need to produce two forms of certified identification; proof of ID (usually a Passport or Driving Licence) and evidence of address (typically a Utility Bill no more than three months).

Confirmation of source of monies is also required in accordance with the money laundering regulations as lawyers are required to ensure that the money you are using to acquire a property (whether it be the deposit for exchange or the full purchase amount if you are a cash purchaser) has come from a reputable source (such as employment savings) rather than the proceeds of criminal activity.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my property are lost. The lawyers who dealt with the conveyancing in Hermitage 5 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?

You no longer need to hold title deeds to prove you are the registered proprietor of land or property, given that the Land Registry hold details of all registered land or property electronically.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Hermitage conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Hermitage conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggest that you speak with two or three firms including non Hermitage conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be helpful:

How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?

I bought a ground floor flat in Hermitage, conveyancing formalities finalised 8 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar flats in Hermitage with over 90 years remaining are worth £211,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2094

You have 68 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.