Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Newcastle upon Tyne is not on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of his work?

That is more than likely a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The top 5 reasons are as follows: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Newcastle upon Tyne conveyancing practice and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.

I used Arc property Solicitors several years past for my conveyancing in Newcastle upon Tyne. Now, I need my files however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate 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 Newcastle upon Tyne 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.

I am buying a new build apartment in Newcastle upon Tyne. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Newcastle upon Tyne

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier?

Is it possible to change conveyancer as I need to retain one who is on the Barnsley Building Society conveyancing list. I was using a high street conveyancing solicitor in Newcastle upon Tyne round the corner but she is not accepted by Barnsley Building Society

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Newcastle upon Tyne on the Barnsley Building Society panel. Please note that the solicitors that we list do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are registered with the SRA who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Newcastle upon Tyne. In making use of search facility on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Newcastle upon Tyne.

We're FTB’s - had an offer accepted, yet the property agent has warned us that the vendor will only issue a contract if we use their preferred lawyers as they are insisting on a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a high street solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Newcastle upon Tyne

It is unlikely the vendors are driving this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a motivated buyer is counter productive. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you are going to use your own,trusted Newcastle upon Tyne conveyancing firm - rather thanthe ones that will earn the estate agent a referral fee or achieve conveyancing figures demanded by head office.