I am obtaining a mortgage offer from Santander. I would like to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Easton. Does the Santander Solicitor panel include Licensed Conveyancers?

The Santander approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

Will our lawyer be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Easton.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Easton. There are those who purchase a property in Easton, completely aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, suitable insurance cover, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of searches that can be carried out by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Easton. The standard information given to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard inquiry of the owner to find out if the property has ever been flooded. In the event that the residence has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a buyer may commence a claim for damages as a result of such an misleading response. A purchaser’s lawyers should also order an enviro report. This will reveal if there is any known flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be carried out.

I used Stirling Law several years past for my conveyancing in Easton. I now require my papers but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do 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 Easton of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I was recommended by a number of property agents in Easton to find a solicitor using your seach tool. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to promote your lawyers rather than a competitor’s?

We refuse to give any referral fee for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for my conveyancing in Easton. I've land on a web site which appears to be the ideal answer If it is possible to get all formalities done via phone that would be preferable. Do I need to be wary? 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?