Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Strood is not on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his conveyancing?

That would most likely be an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Strood conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.

The owners of the home we are hoping to buy have instructed a conveyancing firm in Strood who has suggested a exclusivity agreement with a payment two thousand pounds. Are such agreements sensible?

There are a couple of main drawbacks with entering into any lock out contract (also termed an exclusivity agreement) is that it can distract from progressing with the conveyancing transaction itself, so unless it requires minimal or no negotiation then it may turn out to be a cause of frustration and delay. It is not promoted by Strood conveyancing lawyers for this reason. A further negative is the extent of the remedies available - an aggrieved purchaser should not expect to secure an injunctive ruling by a court to prevent the owner disposing of the property to an alternative purchaser, so the only remedy available under the contract will be the recovery of abortive charges and, in rare scenarios, the additional payment of damages.

We note that you have a post code search directory identifying solicitors on the conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a referral fee if I appoint them for our conveyancing in Strood?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Strood.

I opted to have a survey done on a house in Strood before instructing lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor advised that some lenders will refuse to issue a loan on a flying freehold premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions from Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can look into this further via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Strood. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Strood to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

I have just appointed agents to market my garden apartment in Strood. Conveyancing is yet to be initiated, but I have recently had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

It best that you pay the maintenance contribution as you normally would as all rents and service invoices should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I purchased a ground floor flat in Strood, conveyancing formalities finalised 1995. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Strood with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 50

With just 50 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £36,100 and £41,800 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.