I plan on purchasing a maisonette in Southampton. My property lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company conveyancing list. Am I still permitted to retain my Southampton conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the lender approved list?

Various options include

• Proceed with your existing Southampton but your bank will need to instruct a from their approved list. This will result in additional cost together with probable frustration.
• Choose a fresh to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Appeal to your to attempt to join the bank panel

We see that you have a search directory listing law firms on the conveyancing panel. Do companies pay you a commission if I instruct them for our conveyancing in Southampton?

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 Southampton.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Southampton is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Southampton are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Southampton you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Southampton may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Southampton. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Southampton should include some of the following:

What options are open to you if an adjoining owner is in violation of a provision in their lease? Responsibility to repair and maintain the building. It is essential for you to know who is liable for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building Repair and maintenance of the premises Alterations to the premises Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice?

I inherited a leasehold flat in Southampton, conveyancing was carried out 3 years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar flats in Southampton with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ceases on 21st October 50

With 50 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £36,100 and £41,800 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

My 20yr old son is embarking on her first house purchase, the home loan was agreed last week in principle. When the offer was accepted on apartment we called the bank to issue the formal offer. I was shocked to learn that banks do not accept all , they must be on their panel, is this right?

Mortgage Companies normally imposes restrictions either the type or the number of conveyancing firms on their approved list of lawyers. Typical examples of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the type of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that lenders have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any Southampton on their panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of conveyancing panels a few years ago and whilst there are differing views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms only carry out one or two conveyances a year. Those supporting conveyancing panel cuts ask why law firms should have the right to be on a Lender panel when clearly, conveyancing is not their speciality. To put it another way; would you want a conveyancing solicitor to represent you if you were charged with a crime? Unlikely.