The Hamworthy conveyancing lawyers that I recently instructed on my purchase in Hamworthy have without warning closed. They were on acting for me because I had to have a firm on the Co-operative conveyancing panel and my preferred Hamworthy lawyer was not. I issued them a cheque for £250 in advance. What should be my next steps?

Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then inform them immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Co-operative conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to help.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my home can not be found. The lawyers who handled the conveyancing in Hamworthy 4 years ago no longer exist. What are my next steps?

These day there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer should be aware exactly where to look for all the appropriate paperwork so you may purchase or sell your house without a hitch. If duplicates can’t be located, your lawyer can put in place insurance or indemnities protecting you against possible claims on your premises.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Hamworthy with a loan from Nottingham Building Society. The sellers refused to move on the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative told me not reveal to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it will impact my mortgage with Nottingham Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I was recommended by numerous selling agents in Hamworthy to locate a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to market your site ahead of a competitor’s?

We don’t offer any financial incentive for directing people in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand a fee as members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Hamworthy for my home move. Is there any facility to check a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

One can read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations arising from inquisitions commenced on or after Jan 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may recorded call for training purposes.