My husband and I are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in East Riding Villages with a mortgage. We would like to retain our East Riding Villages conveyancer, but the mortgage company says she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little option but to instruct one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or keep our East Riding Villages solicitor and pay for one of their panel firms to represent them. This feels very unfair; are we not able to insist that the lender use our East Riding Villages lawyer ?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms 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. Another option that might be available is for your East Riding Villages conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Lloyds, do East Riding Villages lawyers face a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from Co-operative as we wish to carry out renovations to our home in East Riding Villages. Do we need to appoint a local East Riding Villages solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Co-operative would not normally appoint a member of their approved list of lawyers to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Co-operative conveyancing panel.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in East Riding Villages. My financial adviser suggested a lawyer. I paid an on account payment of £175. A couple of days later, the conveyancer called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the RBS 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 RBS 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.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in East Riding Villages. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in East Riding Villages

If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Please supply a car parking plan. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in East Riding Villages prior to instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. The surveyor advised that some banks may refuse to grant a mortgage on such a house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in East Riding Villages. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in East Riding Villages to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

I need to retain a conveyancing solicitor for purchase conveyancing in East Riding Villages. I have stumble upon a web site which seems to have the ideal answer If it is possible to get all this stuff done via web that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?