How do I search for the right lawyer who can provide a high level service for our conveyancing in Washington?

First ask your friends and family who they experienced using in the past and if they were happy with the service.

Second, use a search tool on the web for conveyancing in Washington. Phone a couple or more firms from the list and request that they forward you their conveyancing charges and have a conversation with the lawyer who will oversee the conveyancing ahead ofcommitting.

Option 3 is to use our search tool to assist you in finding the right solicitors for you based on your unique expectations including area of the property,speed, complications and who the proposed mortgage company is. Do not be fooled by £99 conveyancing in Washington

My partner and I have organised a further advance on our mortgage from Santander as we wish to carry out a loft conversion to our house in Washington. Do we need to appoint a high street Washington solicitor on the Santander conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Santander don't usually instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to handle such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Santander panel.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Washington. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their lawyer. I paid an advanced payment of £150. Not long after, the lawyer called me sheepishly admitting that they were not on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Yorkshire BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I am due to exchange contracts on my house. I had a double glazing fitted in January 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Nationwide are being problematic. The Washington solicitor who is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but Nationwide are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nationwide have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nationwide have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nationwide may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

The deeds to my house are lost. The solicitors who conducted the conveyancing in Washington 10 years ago have long since closed. What are my options?

These day there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will be aware exactly where to look for all the relevant documentation so you may buy or sell your property without a hitch. If copies can’t be located, your conveyancer can put in place insurance or indemnities protecting you against possible claims on the premises.

My business partner and I are hoping to lease a unit on a shopping parade. Can you recommend solicitors offering fixed fees for commercial conveyancing in Washington for below £2000?

We are happy to recommend firms who have an in-depth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Washington, including the sale and purchase of businesses as well as simply property. If you are intending to acquire or lease a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a whole business we can put you in touch with the right firm. As for the costs this will depend on the structure and terms of the proposed transaction. Let us have your details or phone so as to enable us to provide you with comprehensive commercial conveyancing calculation.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold flat in Washington. Conveyancing and Barclays Direct mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Washington who acted for me is not around. Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Washington conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Washington, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar flats in Washington with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2091

With 66 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £11,400 and £13,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.