I am selling my flat in Rawtenstall and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are swapping solicitor. The excuse is that the bank will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Rawtenstall ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few 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 many years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise 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 unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

I am buying my first flat in Rawtenstall with a loan from Santander. The sellers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not disclose to my solicitor about the side-deal as it could adversely affect my loan with the bank. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

What does commercial conveyancing in Rawtenstall cover?

Rawtenstall conveyancing for business premises incorporates a broad array of guidance, supplied by regulated solicitors, relating to business premises. For example, this area of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the assignment of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial mortgages and the termination of tenancies.

Should I go with a Rawtenstall conveyancing practitioner based in the vicinity that I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can perform the legal work but his firm is located a couple of hundredmiles away.

The benefit of a high street Rawtenstall conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. They will also have local intelligence which is a bonus. That being said nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who used your friend and in the main were happy that must trump using an unfamiliar Rawtenstall conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being local.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £450,000 flat in Rawtenstall in seven days. The managing agents has quoted £300 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Rawtenstall?

Rawtenstall conveyancing on leasehold flats usually involves fees being raised by freeholders :

Addressing conveyancing due diligence questions Where consent is required before sale in Rawtenstall Supplying insurance information Deeds of covenant upon sale Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Rawtenstall leasehold property is £350. For Rawtenstall conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply answers.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Rawtenstall, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Rawtenstall with an extended lease are worth £181,000. The ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease ceases on 21st October 2076

With only 50 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 plus costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.