I am expecting a mortgage with Lloyds. I would like to use a Licensed Conveyancer in Mildmay. Does the Lloyds Conveyancing panel allow for Licensed Conveyancers?

The Lloyds approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, represented by the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

Can you help - my lawyer advises that missing deeds insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Mildmay?

The right level of missing deeds indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Birmingham Midshires and Chelsea Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to borrowers take out such insurances.

I have a mortgage with Kent Reliance for my property in Mildmay. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Kent Reliance?

Your original mortgage agreement with Kent Reliance will provide that you need their approval in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Kent Reliance’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Kent Reliance will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Kent Reliance directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor.

It is unclear whether my bank requires a lease extension. I have called my Mildmay building society branch on various occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Mildmay conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- called and was told they will not lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. Who do I believe?

As long as the conveyancer is on the mortgage company approved list, they must adhere to the CML Handbook specifications for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender 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 used Wolstenholmes several years ago for my conveyancing in Mildmay. I now require my papers however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Mildmay of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Am I best advised to instruct a Mildmay conveyancing solicitor based in the vicinity that I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can conduct the legal formalities but they are based approximately 350miles away.

The benefit of a high street Mildmay conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to sign paperwork, present your ID and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local knowledge which is a plus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If if people you trust instructed your friend and on the whole were impressed that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Mildmay conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being Mildmay based.

Completion is due on the sale of our £400,000 apartment in Mildmay in nine days. The landlords agents has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Mildmay?

Mildmay conveyancing on leasehold flats normally necessitates the purchaser’s lawyer sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions most will be content to do so. They are at liberty to levy a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Mildmay - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

Many Mildmay leasehold properties will incur a service bill for maintenance of the building set by the freeholder. Should you purchase the apartment you will have to meet this charge, usually quarterly throughout the year. This may vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. There will also be a ground rent to be met yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant amount, say around £50-£100 but you need to enquire as sometimes it can be prohibitively expensive. What prohibitions exist in the Mildmay Lease? Is the freehold owned jointly by the leaseholders?