Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Hertfordshire. Please clarify why all Hertfordshire solicitors are not on all lender panels?

Banks tend to impose restrictions on either the type or volume of conveyancing practices on their panel. A common example of such criteria being that a firm is required to have two or more partners. In addition to restricting the nature of firm, some have made a decision to restrict the size of their panel they use to represent them. It is worth noting that lenders have no liability for the accuracy of advice provided by any Hertfordshire solicitor on their panel. Property fraud was a key driver in the culling of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there are contrary views about the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from HMLR exposes that thousands of conveyancing organisations only transact one or two conveyances a year. Those vindicating conveyancing panel culls ask why law firms should have any entitlement to be on a lender panel when it is apparent that property law is not their speciality?

I am helping my niece sell her flat in Hertfordshire. Will the conveyancer order the EPC or do I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Packs, energy assessments remained a compulsory component of selling a house. An energy performance certificate must be commissioned prior to the property being placed on the market. It is not as aspect of the sale process that solicitors normally organise. Where you are using a Hertfordshire conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their contacts with long established Hertfordshire energy assessors

We expect to receive a OIP from HSBC this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do HSBC recommend any Hertfordshire solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Hertfordshire solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the HSBC conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and HSBC through the process.

I had an offer accepted on a house in Hertfordshire on 6/10/2025, valuation was booked 3 days later, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Leeds Building Society and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue a mortgage until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Leeds Building Society to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

Have completed on a a semi-detached house in Hertfordshire , how long will it take for the Land Registry to register the transfer to my name? My Hertfordshire conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be certain the registration is addressed.

As far as conveyancing in Hertfordshire is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in the country. Rather than based on location, timeframes can adjust subject to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry must send notices to any third parties. Currently roughly 80% of submission are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be longer hold-ups. Historically registration occurs once the buyer is living at the premises thus an expedited registration is not always top priority but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers could speak with the land registry and explain the circumstances.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Hertfordshire. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hertfordshire

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified.

I'm remortgaging my primary property to a buy to let loan with Nationwide Building Society and I will use the ballance of the raised equity as a deposit on another house. The neighborhood we are talking about is Hertfordshire. Will your lawyers be able to act for the two lenders and link together the two deals?

Do use our comparison tool on this site to ensure that the conveyancers are on the appropriate lender panels. Assuming that they are the conveyancer should be able to simultaneously deal with the two transactions but you should talk with you lawyer and communicate your desired outcome and needs.