Me and my partner are purchasing a 2 bedroom apartment in Conwy with a mortgage. We wish to retain our Conwy lawyer, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It appears that we have little option but to select one of the bank panel firms or keep our Conwy lawyer and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. We feel that this is inequitable; can we not insist that the bank use our Conwy conveyancing practitioner ?
No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Conwy conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Do the conveyancing lawyers that you recommend execute conveyancing in Conwy by way of an attended exchange?
There are a few conveyancing specialists who can conduct personalised exchanges. Do call us to obtain a costs illustration and details as to availability.
It is 10 years ago since I purchased my property in Conwy. Conveyancing lawyers have just been appointed on the sale but I am unable to find the title deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?
Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a chance that the deeds will be retained by the mortgage company or they may stored with the conveyancers who acted in your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Conwy relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.
Does a directory service exist listing Nationwide panel solicitors in Conwy on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?
No. There is no such facility on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings visible online. If you are looking for a Conwy conveyancing practitioner on the Nationwide please use our tool.
I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Conwy. I have a mortgage agreed with HSBC. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with HSBC, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel.
I had an offer accepted on a house in Conwy on 28/10/2025, valuation was booked 3 days after, all came back fine. Solicitor instructed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Kent Reliance and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?
Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Kent Reliance to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
How easy is it to change firm as I have to select a firm on the Halifax conveyancing list. I hired a local conveyancing solicitor in Conwy five minutes from me but he is not approved by Halifax
It would be our pleasure to help you find a conveyancing solicitor in Conwy on the Halifax panel. Please note that the law firms that we on the directory do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are registered with the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Conwy. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this page, you can scrutinise charges for conveyancing solicitors in Conwy and throughout England and Wales.
I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Conwy both have about 50 years unexpired on the lease term. should I be concerned?
There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Conwy is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the marketability of the property. The majority of buyers and lenders, leases with less than 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Conwy conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
I am the registered owner of a basement flat in Conwy, conveyancing was carried out in 2005. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Conwy with an extended lease are worth £255,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2098
With just 73 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £8,600 and £9,800 plus 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 extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.