I am progressing with the sale of my home in Rugby and the EA has just called to advise that the purchasers are swapping law firm. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a leading mortgage company only work with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Rugby ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. 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. Plenty of firms 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. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

How simple is it to change solicitor as I have to instruct one who is on the Halifax conveyancing list. I was using a family conveyancing solicitor in Rugby five minutes from me but she is not approved by Halifax

It would be our pleasure to help you select a conveyancing solicitor in Rugby on the Halifax panel. Please note that the solicitors that we list do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are under regulation of the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Rugby. In making use of the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can scrutinise costs for conveyancing solicitors in Rugby and beyond.

I am 14 days into a residential purchase having been directed to a firm by the estate agent to execute conveyancing in Rugby. I am am starting to be disappointed with the level of service. Can you help me find new solicitors?

They would need to be really poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the mortgage offer been issued? If so you will need to inform them of the replacement conveyancer and have the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your solicitor ideally needs to be on the banks panel to avoid supplemental costs and frustration. That should be your first question of the new solicitors. The search tool will assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your home move in Rugby

I own a leasehold house in Rugby. Conveyancing and Lloyds TSB Bank mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Rugby who acted for me is not around. What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Rugby conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I own a 2 bed flat in Rugby, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Rugby with a long lease are worth £197,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2080

With just 55 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Do I stop the direct debit for my mortgage with Kent Reliance as soon as a completion date for my sale in Rugby has been set?

No, you should continue meeting any mortgage payments to Kent Reliance until the mortgage is repaid on completion as part of your Rugby conveyancing.