My wife and I are purchasing a 3 bedroom flat in Swindon with a mortgage. We like our Swindon lawyer, but the lender advise he's not on their "panel". It appears that we have little choice but to use one of the bank panel solicitors or retain our Swindon conveyancing practitioner and pay for one of their panel lawyers to act for them. We consider that this is inequitable; are we not able to insist that the bank use our Swindon solicitor ?
Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’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 Swindon conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Swindon. My lender is The Mortgage Works
The Mortgage Works have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 29/7/2026, the requirements read as follows :
We had chosen solicitors locally in Swindon on the Barclays solicitor approved list. They are now charging me an additional fee for dealing with the Barclays mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Barclays?
Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your property lawyer is entitled to charge a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by Barclays but by your Swindon conveyancer. Some firms on the Barclays panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.
How can we know in advance if a Swindon conveyancing solicitor on the Aldermore panel is any good?
When it comes to conveyancing in Swindon seeking recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one advertising the lowest fees. We would always advocate that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.
Leeds Building Society have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a house in Swindon has been agreed to, what happens next?
Your property agent will want to know who your solicitors are (ensure that the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s panel). Call up Leeds Building Society or your broker and finalise any relevant paperwork. Leeds Building Society will instruct a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to schedule a slot for the valuation to take place. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Leeds Building Society will issue the offer to you and your lawyers. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Swindon.
I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Swindon I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Swindon for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a short lease?
Should you require a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this matter.
In searching the web for the term cheap conveyancing in Swindon it brings up many property lawyersin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancing solicitor for the sale of my house?
The ideal way of seeking the right conveyancer is through a personal recommendation, so seek the opinion of friends and relatives who have purchased a property in Swindon or the local estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Swindon differ, so it's sensible to secure at least three estimates from varying types of law firms. Dont forget to clarify that the fees are fixed.
What makes a Swindon lease defective?
Leasehold conveyancing in Swindon is not unique. All leases are drafted differently and drafting errors can result in certain clauses are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
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A duty to insure the building
A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Yorkshire Building Society, Leeds Building Society, and TSB all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.
I bought a leasehold flat in Swindon, conveyancing was carried out 10 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Swindon with an extended lease are worth £195,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2089
With 63 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £16,200 and £18,600 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.