My husband and I are hoping to buy a newly converted apartment in Chorlton with a loan from Skipton Building Society.We would like to retain our Chorlton conveyancing solicitor but Skipton Building Society informed us he's not on their "panel". we are left little option but to use a Skipton Building Society panel lawyer or keep our high street solicitor and pay for a Skipton Building Society panel lawyer to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The home loan offered to you contains various provisions, one of which will be that conveyancers must be on the Skipton Building Society solicitor panel. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Skipton Building Society

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Chorlton?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Chorlton. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Chorlton is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Chorlton are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Chorlton you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Chorlton may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

Should I be wary by estate agents that I am dealing with are recommending a nationwide conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Chorlton conveyancing practice?

As with many professional services, often referrals from connections can be worth their weight in gold. But there are lots of people with a keen interest in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, mortgage brokers and lenders may recommend lawyers to select. Sometimes the lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as being good in their field, but sometimes there might be a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You have the right to appoint your own lawyer. However, bear in mind that most mortgage providers operate an approved list of solicitors you must use for the lender aspect of your home move.

I am due to review costs for conveyancing in Chorlton from three lawyer and decide on one. Am I right to instruct them to hold tight until I I have my bid accepted on a house.

We suggest that you wait to request your solicitor to open a file and apply for searches after the sales confirmation has been issued by the selling agent especially as Chorlton conveyancing searches are not inexpensive.