My wife and I are buying a ground floor flat in Bilston. My Solicitor is not listed on the lender approved panel. Is it possible for me to retain my Bilston conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the lender panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?

You must appoint a property lawyer to complete the legal work required when you take out a loan to buy your property. The lawyer will carry out all the essential legal checks on the property, ensuring that you will be registered as proprietor and ensure that all the required mortgage paperwork is in order. You can instruct a Bilston conveyancing practitioner of your choosing. However, if the solicitor appointed is not a member of the mortgage company approved list supplemental fees will arise as separate legal representation will be required by them. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so where your lawyer has not previously applied for membership they should do so.

Please could you recommend a Norwich and Peterborough Building Society sanctioned Bilston conveyancing firm that can complete within a very limited time frame? Would it be better to use a local Bilston conveyancer or a factory type conveyancer?

We would be happy to suggest some excellent Bilston conveyancing firms. You can also walk up the main road in Bilston. Approach two or three law practices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for a fee estimate. Explain your deadline together with the reasons and get a commitment on your deadline. Select the one that genuine.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Bilston? What am I being asked for?

You are right in these requests have nothing to do with conveyancing in Bilston. However these days you can not proceed with any conveyancing deal without first submitting evidence of your identity. This usually takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence and a bank statement. Remember if you are providing your driving licence as proof of ID it must be both the paper part as well as the photo card part, one is not satisfactory without the other.

Verification of the source of monies is mandated under Money Laundering Regulations. You should not be offended when you are asked to produce this as your lawyer must have this information on file. Your Bilston conveyancing practitioner will need to see evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any funds from you into their client account and they may also ask additional questions regarding the source of funds.

I am helping my step-mother sell her house in Bilston. Will the solicitor order an energy assessment or it is for me to see to?

Following the demise of HIPs, energy performance certificates was retained a compulsory element of moving house. An energy assessment must be commissioned prior to the property being advertised. It is not something that law firms ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Bilston conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with reputable Bilston providers

My wife and I buying a detached bungalow in Bilston. The intention is to an extension at the rear at the house.Will the conveyancing process involve checks to determine if these works were previously refused?

Your solicitor will check the deeds as conveyancing in Bilston can on occasion identify restrictions in the title deeds which prohibit certain works or require the permission of a 3rd party. Certain extensions need local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Bilston. My mortgage broker pressured me to appoint their conveyancing practitioner. I paid an on account payment of £150. A few days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me to say that they were not on the RBS 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 RBS 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.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Bilston?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Bilston. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’