I am nearing exchange of contracts for my maisonette in Oadby and the estate agent has just called to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major lender only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Oadby ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 25 years.

Banks blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Me and my partner are buying a property in Oadby. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? On completion day we will need to deposit money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I am buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Oadby. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property include investigations to see if these alterations were previously refused?

Your solicitor will review the registered title as conveyancing in Oadby can sometimes identify restrictions in the title deeds which prevent certain changes or require the consent of another owner. Some additions require local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Oadby. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £150. Not long after, the called me to say that they were not on the conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my house are lost. The lawyers who did the conveyancing in Oadby years ago have long since closed. Will I be able to sell the house?

Nowadays there are duplicates made of almost everything, and your solicitor will be aware exactly where to find all the appropriate documentation so you may purchase or sell your property without any difficulty. If copies can’t be located, your conveyancer may be able to arrange cover in the form of insurance or indemnities protecting you against future claims on the premises.

How simple is it to use the search facility to choose a conveyancing practitioner in Oadby on the approved list for my lender?

Step one is to pick a lender such as , or then type in your preferred area e.g. Oadby. Conveyancing organisations in Oadby and nationally should be listed.

My husband and I may need to sub-let our Oadby ground floor flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Oadby conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Notwithstanding that your last Oadby conveyancing lawyer is not available you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The rule is that if the lease is silent, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you must seek permission via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior consent. Such consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I inherited a ground floor flat in Oadby, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Oadby with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease ceases on 21st October 50

You have 50 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £36,100 and £41,800 plus professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.