My partner and I are planning to buy a flat in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont and are in fact using a Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Nottingham Building Society have this afternoon contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Gerrards Cross and Chalfont solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?

If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Gerrards Cross and Chalfont lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

I am helping my mother sell her flat in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont. Will the conveyancer arrange the energy assessment or it is for the seller to see to?

Following the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments remained a compulsory part of moving property. An EPC must be to hand prior to the property being marketed. This is not as aspect of the sale process that law firms normally arrange. If you are instructing a Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing lawyer they may be willing to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with long established Gerrards Cross and Chalfont providers

Is it the case that all Gerrards Cross and Chalfont solicitors on the Co-operative conveyancing panel are regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Co-operative approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the SRA. Many banks do list licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the practice would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Gerrards Cross and Chalfont solicitor - who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Co-operative will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Co-operative will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Gerrards Cross and Chalfont postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Co-operative, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont.

I am looking for a flat up to £235,500 and identified one round the corner in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be problematic. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.

My father has recommend that I appoint his lawyers for conveyancing in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont. Should I use them?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to find a conveyancing lawyer is to have guidance from friends or family who have used the conveyancer that you are are thinking of instructing.

I would be grateful if you would explain what my options are where my Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing searches shows negative results?

Ordinarily, the majority of problems disclosed in Gerrards Cross and Chalfont conveyancing search results can be dealt with prior to completion or indemnity insurance can be put on cover. It is important to note that although you intend on purchasing the property and might be willing to accept the search results, your building society or bank may not, and when all said and done have the final decision.