I am in the process of selling my home in Hurst and the estate agent has just called to advise that the buyers are appointing a new solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading mortgage company only work with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Hurst ?

Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, 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 pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

We're in Hurst, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is , and our solicitor is on the conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Hurst. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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 legal work.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Hurst

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. 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.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Hurst is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Hurst are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Hurst you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Hurst may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

I am looking into buying my first house which is in Hurst and I am already nervous. I couldn't find anything specific about Hurst. Conveyancing will be needed in due course but do you know about the Hurst area? or perhaps some other tips you can share?

Rather than looking online forget looking online you should go and have a look at Hurst. In the meantime here are some basic statistics that we found