Much to our surprise we have been advised by our IFA that my Midsomer Norton property lawyer is not on the lender Solicitor panel. What can I do to check?

Your first step should be to call your Midsomer Norton lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they could put your in touch with solicitors on the approved list of lawyers for your mortgage company.

Should lawyers request money up-front when it comes to conveyancing in Midsomer Norton?

If you are buying a property in Midsomer Norton your solicitor will request that you put them with funds to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the Local Authority Search. When the down payment is as part of the purchase price then this should be required immediately before contracts are exchanged. Any further balance that is due should be transferred a couple of days ahead of the completion date.

I am helping my sister sell her house in Midsomer Norton. Does the conveyancing solicitor commission an EPC or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of HIPs, EPC’s remained a mandatory part of selling a house. An energy assessment must be commissioned before the property is put on the market. This is not something that conveyancers ordinarily organise. If you are using a Midsomer Norton conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange EPC’s due to their contacts with reputable local energy assessors

I can not work out if my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Midsomer Norton bank branch on a couple of occasions and was reassured it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Midsomer Norton conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the property lawyer is on the bank panel, she or he must adhere to the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

I had an offer accepted on a property in Midsomer Norton on 29/5/2025, valuation was booked 3 days after, received a clean bill of health. Conveyancer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to RBS and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the RBS conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for RBS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the RBS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Midsomer Norton is where the house is located. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Midsomer Norton are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Midsomer Norton you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Midsomer Norton may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Midsomer Norton conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Midsomer Norton conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Midsomer Norton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions might be useful:

What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing? If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?

I purchased a basement flat in Midsomer Norton, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Midsomer Norton with a long lease are worth £171,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2104

With only 79 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £7,600 and £8,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.