I am 4 weeks into the sale of my flat in Brockenhurst and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major lender only deal with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Brockenhurst ?

Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Banks justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise 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.

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The lender mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to instruct their panel conveyancer as I would much rather appoint a high street conveyancing solicitor in Brockenhurst?

Do check but the chances are that give you one of their panel conveyancers where you want the "fee-free" incentive. Contact the mortgage company to determine if they offer you a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Brockenhurst.

Can you point me to a directory of Barclays panel solicitors in Brockenhurst on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of banks make their panel listings viewable online. If you are in need of a Brockenhurst conveyancer on the Barclays please use our tool.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Skipton. Brockenhurst conveyancing solicitors are appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Skipton?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Skipton completed the valuation? Have you informed Skipton as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Skipton conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I had an offer accepted on an apartment in Brockenhurst on 23/7/2025, valuation was booked 4 days later, all came back fine. Solicitor instructed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Nottingham and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. Are Nottingham entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?

A lender would not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Nottingham to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

About to purchase a new build flat in Brockenhurst. Conveyancing is daunting 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 legal work.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Brockenhurst

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. 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.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Brockenhurst I like with a park and station nearby, however it only has 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Brockenhurst suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you need a home loan that many years may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.