My wife and I are looking to acquire a flat in Hedge End and have instructed a Hedge End conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our solicitor has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report in anticipation of exchanging contracts shortly. Norwich and Peterborough Building Society have this evening contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Hedge End conveyancer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

If you are buying a property with the assistance of a mortgage it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also represent the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Hedge End solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Hedge End? Is this really warranted?

Hedge End conveyancing solicitors and indeed property practitioners accross the UK have an obligation under Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules to verify the ID of any client in order to satisfy themselves that clients are who they say they are.

Conveyancing clients will need to produce two forms of certified ID; proof of ID (usually a Passport or Driving Licence) and proof of address (typically a Bank Statement no more than three months).

Evidence of the origin of monies is also necessary under the money laundering regulations as solicitors have a duty to check that the funds you are utilising to acquire a property (whether it be the deposit for exchange or the total purchase monies if you are a cash purchaser) has originated from an acceptable source (such as an inheritance) rather than the proceeds of criminal behaviour.

My wife and I are buying a house in Hedge End. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a solicitor? On completion day we will need to send our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our monies?

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.

My wife and I purchasing a victorian detached house in Hedge End. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the property.Will legal due diligence on the property involve checks to determine if these alterations were previously refused?

Your solicitor should check the deeds as conveyancing in Hedge End can occasionally identify restrictions in the title deeds which prevent certain alterations or require the permission of a 3rd party. Certain works need local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I am selling my house. I had a double glazing fitted in May 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, Co-operative are being problematic. The Hedge End solicitor who is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Co-operative are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Co-operative have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Co-operative have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Co-operative may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Various internet forums that I have come across warn that are the number one cause of delay in Hedge End conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published conclusions of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the most frequent causes of hindrances in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to be the root cause of delay in conveyancing in Hedge End.

I decided to have a survey done on a property in Hedge End ahead of appointing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. Our surveyor advised that some lenders may not issue a loan on this type of house.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can investigate further via the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Hedge End. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Hedge End especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Hedge End.