I am progressing with the sale of my apartment in Grappenhall and the estate agent has just text me to advise that the buyers are switching conveyancer. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a big named lender only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Grappenhall ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Some 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 buyers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

Please explain the implications if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Yorkshire BS Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Grappenhall?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

I am assisting my niece sell her house in Grappenhall. Does the solicitor order the energy assessment or should I organise this?

After the demise of Home Information Packs, EPC’s became a required component of moving house. An EPC should be commissioned before the property is advertised. This is not as aspect of the sale process that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Grappenhall conveyancing solicitor they might be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with long established local providers

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Aldermore, do Grappenhall conveyancers face a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any bank fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

Is there a list of TSB panel solicitors in Grappenhall on the Building Society Association’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings visible online. Where you are looking for a Grappenhall property lawyer on the TSB please make the most of our facility.

I appreciate that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when purchasing a house in Grappenhall? or Apparently there is a law dating back centuries that means some house owners residing in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards repairs towards the chancel within the church. Is this applicable for conveyancing in Grappenhall?

Unless a previous purchase of the premises took place after 12 October 2013 you may assume that lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Grappenhall to continue to recommend a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my home are lost. The solicitors who handled the conveyancing in Grappenhall 5 years ago are no longer around. Will I be able to sell the house?

You no longer need to hold title deeds to establish that you are the registered proprietor of land or premises, as the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.