I am nearing exchange of contracts for my apartment in Cambridgeshire and the estate agent has just text me to warn that the buyers are switching solicitor. The reason given is that the bank will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a leading lender only engage with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Cambridgeshire ?

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 Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for many years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say 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. The purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

My solicitor has uncovered a a problem with the lease for the flat we are buying in Cambridgeshire. The seller’s lawyers have suggested title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that he must ensure that the mortgage company is willing to move forward with this solution. Are we the client or is the lender?

Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the lender does not mean to say that the property will meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the bank are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £235,500 and identified one near me in Cambridgeshire I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 52 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Cambridgeshire in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a home loan that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

How simple is it to transfer to a new solicitor as I need to retain a firm on the Platform Home Loans Ltd conveyancing list. I was using a family conveyancing solicitor in Cambridgeshire five minutes from me but the firm is not accepted by Platform Home Loans Ltd

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Cambridgeshire on the Platform Home Loans Ltd panel. Please note that the law firms that we list do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Cambridgeshire. In utilising search facility on this website, you can contrast charges for conveyancing solicitors in Cambridgeshire and throughout England and Wales.

My father-in-law has recommend that I use his conveyancing solicitors in Cambridgeshire. Do I take his recommendation?

There are no two ways about it the best way to select a conveyancing solicitor is to have guidance from friends or relatives who have actually previously instructed the conveyancer that you are are thinking of instructing.