I am one month into the sale of my home in Abingdon and the estate agent has just e-mailed to advise that the buyers are swapping solicitor. The excuse is that the bank will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a big named mortgage company only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Abingdon ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Mortgage companies attribute this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.

My son is in the process of securing a newly built flat in Abingdon with a mortgage from TSB. His lawyer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?

The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the TSB conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the TSB conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in Abingdon?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Abingdon your solicitor will ask you place them with monies to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. If any down payment is payable against the sale price then this will be asked for immediately in advance of contracts are exchanged. Any further balance that is needed will be payable a couple of days ahead of the day of completion.

I am planning to move property in April. Should my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you suggest a removal company in Abingdon. Conveyancing firm was organised prior to coming across your site.

On the afternoon of completion you will need to collect the house keys from the selling agent but this can only be done when the previous owners lawyers inform the agent that they acknowledge receipt of the completion payment and the keys can be passed over. You can inform the removal company that they can start moving you in. As a matter of policy we do not suggest a specific removal company but can help you choose a conveyancing in Abingdon or a firm with expertise in conveyancing in Abingdon.

The mortgage over my property is with RBS for my property in Abingdon. Conveyancing has been completed a year ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform RBS?

You must advise RBS prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of RBS’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact RBS directly. You need not do this via a RBS conveyancing panel lawyer.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Abingdon. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

Have completed on a a terraced house in Abingdon , how long will it take for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing the transfer to my name? My Abingdon conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be sure that my purchase is registered.

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Abingdon registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry communicate with any interested persons or bodies. As of today roughly 80% of such applications are completed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Registration is effected after the new owner is living at the property so registration formalities is not always primary concern but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor must speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.