I am selling my maisonette in Bishops Lydeard and the EA has just called to warn that the buyers are switching law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading lender only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Bishops Lydeard ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 15 years.

Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. 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 purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

It is a dozen years since I purchased my property in Bishops Lydeard. Conveyancing solicitors have now been appointed on the sale but I am unable to find my deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?

Don’t worry too much. First the deeds may be kept by the lender or they may stored with the lawyers who acted in your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors acquiring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Bishops Lydeard relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is not registered it is more of a problem but is not insurmountable.

I am planning to acquire a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in Bishops Lydeard who is on the The Royal Bank of Scotland conveyancing. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for The Royal Bank of Scotland in certain locations such as Bishops Lydeard. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I am being advised by my conveyancer that breach of easement insurance is required on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Bishops Lydeard?

The appropriate level of breach of easement indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Yorkshire Building Society and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in August 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, Kent Reliance are being pedantic. The Bishops Lydeard solicitor who is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Kent Reliance are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Kent Reliance have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Kent Reliance have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Kent Reliance may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Intending to buy a flat in Bishops Lydeard. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Bishops Lydeard conveyancer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £305k and found one round the corner in Bishops Lydeard I like with open areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Bishops Lydeard for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.