I am nearing exchange of contracts for my house in Brondesbury and the EA has just called to say that the purchasers are switching property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only deal with property lawyers on their approved list. Why would a major mortgage company only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Brondesbury ?

Banks have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, 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 worked with them for decades.

Mortgage companies attribute this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed 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 says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms 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 unlikely to have any impact on this.

We hope to to buy with Coventry BS. We have called around locally but cant to find a Brondesbury conveyancing firm on the Coventry BS panel. Could you help?

Feel free to make use of the find a lender approved solicitor tool on this page. Please choose the mortgage company and type Brondesbury or your location and you will see numerous solicitors based in Brondesbury or near you.

I have been pointed in your direction by numerous estate agents in Brondesbury to find a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial upside for Estate Agents to offer your lawyers ahead of another?

We refuse to make any financial incentive for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Brondesbury for my home move. Is it possible to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

One may search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may monitor telephone calls for training requirements.

What do I do if I am unhappy with the solicitor who conducted my conveyancing in Brondesbury?

Occasionally the level of service you receive is not as you expect, and is is a fact of life that every so often things do go wrong. Nevertheless there is recourse where you were unhappy with your conveyancing in Brondesbury. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a property lawyer to their regulator. If you remain aggrieved you may consider getting in touch with the Legal Ombudsman.