I am in the process of selling my house in Ince in Makerfield and the EA has just text me to say that the buyers are switching solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only engage with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only deal with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Ince in Makerfield ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for decades.

Lenders justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms 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. Your purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Would the conveyancing practitioners that you recommend execute auction conveyancing in Ince in Makerfield?

There are a number of niche solicitors we can put you in touch with those who can conduct auction conveyancing. Ince in Makerfield is just one of hundreds of locations in which our lawyers are based.

My relative suggested that where I am purchasing in Ince in Makerfield I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Ince in Makerfield conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Ince in Makerfield around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Ince in Makerfield Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Ince in Makerfield.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one near me in Ince in Makerfield I like with amenity areas and station nearby, however it's only got 51 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Ince in Makerfield suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be an issue. Reduce the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

What do I do if I am unhappy with the lawyer who conducted our conveyancing in Ince in Makerfield?

We live in an imperfect world, and unfortunately sometimes matters do not go as planned. That being said there is recourse if you were dissatisfied with your conveyancing in Ince in Makerfield. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a lawyer to their governing body. If you remain dissatisfied you may consider getting in touch with the Legal Ombudsman.