I was told yesterday by my lender that my Highworth the law firm I have appointed is not on the bank Solicitor panel. What can I do to be sure whether this is correct?

Your first step should be to contact your Highworth conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to notify you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the conveyancing panel for your mortgage company.

Are the BSA intent on creating a online directory to list law firms on the Melton Mowbray Building Society conveyancing panel for example in Highworth?

We are not aware of any intention on the part of the BSA to promote such a search facility.

I have todaybeen informed that Stirling Law have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in Highworth for a purchase of a leasehold flat 9 months ago. How can I check that my home is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest way to see if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Highworth conveyancing specialists.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Highworth. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Highworth

There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose?

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Highworth. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

It best that you pay the maintenance contribution as you normally would given that all ground rent and service payments should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I own a basement flat in Highworth, conveyancing having been completed in 2001. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Highworth with over 90 years remaining are worth £221,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2096

With only 70 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.