The vendors of the home we are looking to purchase are using a conveyancing firm in Irlam who has insisted on a exclusivity contract with a payment two thousand pounds. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

There are a couple of main concerns with signing a lock out agreement (sometimes referred to as an exclusivity agreement) is that it can distract from progressing with the conveyancing work, so unless it requires little or no negotiation then it may transpire to be unhelpful. It is not promoted by Irlam conveyancing solicitors for this reason. The other main issue is the extent of the remedies available - a jilted purchaser is not likely to secure an injunction to prevent the seller disposing of the property to a third party, so the only remedy open via the agreement will be the recovery of abortive costs and, in limited scenarios, the extra payment of penalties.

I am helping my step-mother sell her house in Irlam. Will the conveyancing solicitor order the energy assessment or do I organise this?

After the demise of Home Information Packs, EPC’s was kept a mandatory component of moving property. An EPC must be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. It is not a task that law firms ordinarily organise. Where you are using a Irlam conveyancing lawyer they might be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with reputable local accredited person

When it comes to lenders such as Clydesdale, do Irlam conveyancers incur a yearly amount to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

We had appointed solicitors locally in Irlam on the Skipton solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a supplemental sum for the legal aspects of the Skipton mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Skipton?

As unfair as it may appear, as long as it’s in their Terms and Conditions or Quote then yes your property lawyer may levy a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by Skipton but by your Irlam lawyer. Some firms on the Skipton panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

Various web forums that I have visited warn that are a common cause of obstruction in Irlam conveyancing transactions. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Irlam.

Am I best advised to instruct a Irlam conveyancing lawyer in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can deal with the conveyancing however her office is 200miles away.

The primary upside of using a high street Irlam conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to execute paperwork, hand in your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Irlam know how is a plus. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If other friends have used your friend and in the main were content that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Irlam conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being based in the area.

Can you set out the scope of conveyancing provided by Irlam conveyancing companies?

In the main Irlam conveyancing solicitors can handle various legal advice to home and land proprietors, sellers, purchasers, freeholders and tenants such as:

House sale conveyancing in Irlam or nationally Domestic purchase conveyancing in Irlam and countrywide Auction property conveyancing - selling and buying Probate conveyancing and court of protection Key worker schemes Conveyancing for builders and developers