Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Fairwater. I would like to know the reason why all Fairwater conveyancers are not on all bank panels?

Mortgage companies point to the fact that solicitor-led fraud is thought to be responsible for millions of pounds of fraud annually.The dismissal of law firms off of lender panels started with the rise in mortgage fraud, which prompted a thematic review by the Financial Services Authority in 2011. Its outcome included recommendations for lending institutions to review their conveyancing panels, which kicked off a major policy change in the sector. It led to banks and building societies removing a number of firms off their official list of approved conveyancers .

Finally the sale completed on my house in Fairwater last October but our buyer keeps calling every few hours to say her lawyer is waiting to hear from mine. What should have happened now that I have sold?

After completion of your disposal your conveyancer is duty bound to deliver the transfer documentation and all of the paperwork to the purchaser's solicitors. Where appropriate, your lawyer must also confirm that the legal charge in favour of the lender has been paid off to the purchasers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion requirements just for conveyancing in Fairwater.

We are purchasing a flat in Fairwater. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? On the day of competition we will need to put money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

Are all Fairwater Conveyancing Quality Solicitors on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel?

It is true that some lenders now utilise the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitor practices wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

After months of negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Fairwater. My financial adviser suggested a conveyancing practitioner. I paid an upfront payment of £175. Shortly after, the conveyancer called me to say that they were not on the Nationwide 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 Nationwide 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.

Will our conveyancer be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in Fairwater.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Fairwater. Some people will purchase a property in Fairwater, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various checks that can be carried out by the buyer or by their conveyancers which should give them a better understanding of the risks in Fairwater. The standard information sent to a buyer’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a standard question of the owner to find out if the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that flooding has previously occurred which is not notified by the seller, then a purchaser could issue a legal claim for losses as a result of such an inaccurate reply. The buyer’s solicitors should also carry out an enviro search. This will disclose whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be carried out.

As co-executor for the will of my grandmother I am selling a residence in Monmouth but live in Fairwater. My lawyer (approximately 200 kilometers from mehas requested that I sign a stat dec ahead of completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Fairwater who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?

Technically speaking you are not likely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Fairwater based