My partner and I changing mortgage lender for our maisonette in Buckfastleigh and Dean with Lloyds. We have a son 19 who lives at home. Our solicitor requested us to identify any adults other than ourselves who lives in the flat. The solicitor has now sent a form for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the property is repossessed. I have two questions (1) Is this form unique to the Lloyds conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we bought 3 years ago (2) Does our son by signing this compromise his entitlement to inherit the property?

On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Lloyds. This is solely used to protect Lloyds if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Lloyds had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

We are purchasing a newly converted flat in Buckfastleigh and Dean with a loan from Lloyds TSB Bank.We use our Buckfastleigh and Dean conveyancing practitioner but Lloyds TSB Bank informed us his firm is not listed on their "panel". It seems we are left with no choice but to instruct a Lloyds TSB Bank panel solicitor or retain our high street solicitor and pay for a Lloyds TSB Bank panel lawyer to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that solicitors must be on the Lloyds TSB Bank approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies 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. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Lloyds TSB Bank

I am assisting my sister sell her house in Buckfastleigh and Dean. Will the conveyancer order the EPC or it is for the owner to see to?

After the abolition of Home Packs, energy performance certificates was kept a mandatory element of selling a property. An energy performance certificate needs to be to hand prior to the property being put on the market. This is not a task that law firms normally arrange. Where you are using a Buckfastleigh and Dean conveyancing practitioner they might be able to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with reputable Buckfastleigh and Dean accredited person

Are all Buckfastleigh and Dean Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the TSB conveyancing list of approved firms?

It is true that some lenders now make use of the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to join their panels.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Buckfastleigh and Dean conveyancing lawyers have been appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Leeds Building Society?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Leeds Building Society completed the survey? Have you informed Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I used Stirling Law a few years ago for my conveyancing in Buckfastleigh and Dean. I now require my file however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Buckfastleigh and Dean of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Buckfastleigh and Dean. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Buckfastleigh and Dean

Please supply a car parking plan. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal.