I plan on acquiring a leasehold flat in Shelfield. My Conveyancer has never been on on the bank conveyancing list. Am I still permitted to retain my Shelfield conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company approved list?

Various options include

• Complete the deal with your existing Shelfield conveyancing practitioner but your lender will need to retain a property lawyer from their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges together with potential frustration.
• Choose a fresh solicitor to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancing practitioner to do everything possible to join the lender’s panel of solicitors

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Shelfield. My lender is Platform

Platform have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 14/1/2026, the requirements read as follows :

Should I instruct a Shelfield conveyancing lawyer who is local to the property I am purchasing? I have an old university friend who can conduct the legal formalities but his firm is located 300miles drive away.

The primary upside of using a high street Shelfield conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, hand in your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Shelfield know how is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who instructed your friend and they were content that should surpass using an unfamiliar Shelfield conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being round the corner.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Shelfield. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I invested in buying a ground floor flat in Shelfield, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Shelfield with an extended lease are worth £180,000. The ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease ceases on 21st October 2085

You have 59 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £20,900 and £24,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

Is planning consent necessary to change a single dwelling into multiple appartments in Shelfield? This has occurred to a property next door to my home in Shelfield and was ignorant of the conversion until after the works were done.

Planning consent is required for converting a single dwelling in Shelfield into apartments but probably not for reverting once again to single dwelling-house so, in answer to your query, yes,a it is required.