I am progressing with the sale of my home in Cricklewood and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are swapping conveyancer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the bank will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only deal with certain law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Cricklewood ?

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

Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. 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. 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. The purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Due to move into my new home in Cricklewood next Monday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the lender. What risks does the lender expect the insurance to cover?

All property lawyers on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 instructions. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Cricklewood.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Cricklewood. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender RBS be concerned?

As your lender is RBS your lawyer must comply with the conveyancing instructions set out in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for RBS. The CML Handbook contains minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to RBS where a lease does not comply with these specifications. The requirements relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not restricted to Cricklewood.

The mortgage over my property is with Barclays for my property in Cricklewood. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. If I am intending to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Barclays?

Barclays must be informed of your intention before renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Barclays will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Barclays directly. You need not do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel firm.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Cricklewood. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

I used Stirling Law several years ago for my conveyancing in Cricklewood. Now, I need my documents however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Cricklewood of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Is it best to choose a Cricklewood conveyancing lawyer in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can execute the conveyancing but her office is a couple of hundredmiles away.

The primary upside of using a local Cricklewood conveyancing firm is that you can drop in to execute paperwork, deliver your identification documents and pester them if necessary. Having local Cricklewood know how is a benefit. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and on the whole were impressed that must outweigh using an unknown Cricklewood conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being Cricklewood based.