I do hope you can assist me. My Gurnard solicitor is informing me me that she is duty bound toapply for Gurnard conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westapproved lawyer panel. Do I not have any options here?

You have limited options available to you. As you are obtaining a mortgage with a lender your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Gurnard conveyancing searches.

As someone not used to conveyancing in Gurnard what is your top tip you can impart concerning the ownership transfer in Gurnard

Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Gurnard and elsewhere in Isle Of Wight is often a confrontational experience. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is an abundance of room for conflict between you and other parties involved in the transaction. For example, the seller, estate agent and even potentially your bank. Selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing in Gurnard is a critical decision as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the ONLY party in the legal process whose interest is to look after your legal interests and to keep you safe.

There is a distinct increase in the "blame" culture- someone must be blamed for the process taking so long. We recommend that you should always trust your conveyancer above all other players in the home moving process.

Should our solicitor be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in Gurnard.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for solicitors carrying out conveyancing in Gurnard. There are those who buy a property in Gurnard, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical destruction, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various checks that can be initiated by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better understanding of the risks in Gurnard. The standard information given to a purchaser’s lawyer (where the Conveyancing Protocol is adopted) incorporates a standard question of the owner to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If the property has been flooded in past which is not revealed by the seller, then a purchaser may issue a legal claim for losses as a result of such an inaccurate response. A purchaser’s conveyancers may also conduct an enviro report. This should disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be initiated.

I'm converting the mortgage on my current house to a BTL mortgage with Nationwide Building Society and intend to use the remaining equity as a deposit on another property. The area we are interested in is Gurnard. Will your conveyancers be able to act for both sets of banks and tie in the transactions?

Make use of our search tool on this site to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panels. Having checked that they are the solicitor will be able to tie up the two deals but you should have a chat with you lawyer and communicate your expectations and requirements.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my aunt I am disposing of a property in Cardiff but I am based in Gurnard. My conveyancer (based 260 kilometers from mehas requested that I sign a statutory declaration ahead of the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing lawyer in Gurnard who can attest this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are Gurnard based