My partner and I are looking to buy a flat in Burbage and are in fact using a Burbage conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. Skipton Building Society have this evening contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Burbage lawyer is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?

When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is conventional for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Burbage solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.

I am in a contract race with another prospective purchaser for a property in Burbage. What can I do to expedite matters?

In a situation where the seller is applying pressure to exchange it is highly recommended that your lawyer is familiar with the location as they will benefit local relationships and knowledge. It is possible that they may have handled otherhomes in the same street. Therefore consider using a Burbage conveyancing lawyer. Second, check that the lawyer is on the on the approved list for your mortgage company. It is believed that 18% of Burbage conveyancing deals are held up or jeopardised after discovering a buyer’s lawyer was not on their banks member panel. In many cases this discovery resulted in the transaction being held up by almost three weeks. It is believed that this issue affects in the region of one hundred thousand home moves annually. Many Burbage conveyancing firms can not represent certain banks so do check at the outset.

We see that you have a search directory identifying firms on the UBS conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a commission if I instruct them for our conveyancing in Burbage?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the UBS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Burbage.

I am planning to acquire a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Burbage who is on the Chelsea Building Society 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 Chelsea Building Society in certain locations such as Burbage. We dont recommend any particular firm.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build flat in Burbage. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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 conveyancing.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Burbage

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Please supply a car parking plan. Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared.