I have just been advised by my broker that my Sutton Coldfield solicitor is not on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. What can I do to be sure that this is correct?

You need to contact your Sutton Coldfield conveyancer. It is reasonable to expect your lawyer to notify you of the situation. If they are not on the panel they may be able to suggest a Sutton Coldfield conveyancing practice that is on the conveyancing panel for your bank.

This question may be naive but I am unseasoned as a 1st time buyer of a garden flat in Sutton Coldfield. Do I pick up the keys to the property on the completion date from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Sutton Coldfield?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will arrange to send the purchase money to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you should be invited to pick up the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this occurs early afternoon.

Is there a list of panel solicitors in Sutton Coldfield on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few banks make their panel listings viewable online. Where you are seeking to appoint a Sutton Coldfield on the please make the most of our facility.

My husband and I have organised the release of further funds on our home loan from as we wish to carry out alterations to our home in Sutton Coldfield. Do we need to select a nearby Sutton Coldfield solicitor on the conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

don't usually appoint a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the list.

My wife and I have a renovated Victorian house in Sutton Coldfield. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. Is it worth asking to clarify?

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Sutton Coldfield and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also question the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who completed the work.

Am I best advised to go with a Sutton Coldfield conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am buying? We have a good friend who can deal with the conveyancing however his firm is located approximately 350miles drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Sutton Coldfield conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to execute paperwork, deliver your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Sutton Coldfield know how is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were happy that should outweigh using an unknown Sutton Coldfield conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being Sutton Coldfield based.

I own a leasehold flat in Sutton Coldfield. Conveyancing and mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing practitioner in Sutton Coldfield who previously acted has now retired. Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Sutton Coldfield conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I own a garden flat in Sutton Coldfield, conveyancing formalities finalised 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable properties in Sutton Coldfield with an extended lease are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 50

With just 50 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.