I am buying an apartment in Walton on the Naze. My lawyer is not listed on the bank approved panel. Am I still permitted to appoint my Walton on the Naze conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank panel?

Your options include

• Proceed with your preferred Walton on the Naze conveyancer but your lender will undoubtedly use a solicitor from their approved list. The net result is additional cost together with likely interruption.
• Get a new property lawyer to conduct the conveyancing, obviously checking they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to attempt to join the bank panel

I have an AIP. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to use their panel solicitor as I would much rather appoint a Walton on the Naze based conveyancing firm?

You should check but the chances are that give you one of their panel conveyancers should you want the "fee-free" incentive. Contact the bank to see if they make available a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor in Walton on the Naze.

Am I best advised to choose a Walton on the Naze conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can conduct the conveyancing however they are based 300kilometers away.

The primary upside of using a local Walton on the Naze conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to sign documents, deliver your ID and apply pressure on them where appropriate. They will also have local insight which is a benefit. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust instructed your friend and in the main were happy that should surpass using an unknown Walton on the Naze conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being based in the area.

I have recently realised that I have Seventy years remaining on my flat in Walton on the Naze. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What are my options?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to track down the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Walton on the Naze.

I acquired a 1 bedroom flat in Walton on the Naze, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Walton on the Naze with an extended lease are worth £176,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2105

With 80 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £8,600 and £9,800 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

We have selected a Walton on the Naze conveyancing solicitor for our home move (novice purchasers) and have picked up in the Ts and Cs that they are not regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Am I right to be worried or is that usually the case with lawyer?

We can't see why they should be. Most property lawyer don't lend money. You should check that they are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who have strict rules regulating amounts deposited on client account.