I am obtaining a mortgage offer from Lloyds. I hope to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Downend. Does the Lloyds Conveyancing panel exclude conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Lloyds conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

We are buying our first property. The conveyancing practitioner has e-mailedto enquire if we want to order extra conveyancing searches. Unfortunately we are clueless as to what's appropriate for conveyancing in Downend

The scope of Downend conveyancing searches should be triggered based primarily on the property, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your knowledge of the locality and risks, your general appetite to risk. What is important is that you adequately appreciate what information each search could give you. Then you can make a decision if you consider that you need that search. If uncertain, ask the conveyancer to explain.

A friend pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Downend there may be various restrictions prohibiting external changes to the property. Is this right?

There are a number of properties in Downend which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Downend should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

My wife and I buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Downend. Our aim is to carry out an extension to the side at the property.Will the conveyancing process include investigations to determine if these works were previously refused?

Your solicitor should review the deeds as conveyancing in Downend can on occasion identify restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain changes or need the consent of a 3rd party. Many works require local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Downend. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £200. A couple of days later, the conveyancing practitioner called me to say that they were not on the Principality conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Principality panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I decided to have a survey done on a house in Downend ahead of retaining solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. The surveyor advised that some lenders may refuse to give a loan on such a home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can check with the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Downend. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I was recommended by a number of selling agents in Downend to select a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial advantage for Estate Agents to recommend your services rather than a competitor’s?

We don’t make any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers in our direction. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission because home movers will 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.