My wife and I are looking to acquire a flat in Jesmond and have appointed a Jesmond conveyancing practice. Within the last couple of days our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Nottingham Building Society have this evening contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Jesmond solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. Please explain?

When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is standard for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for 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 are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Jesmond lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it may delay matters as you have another set of people involved.

We are purchasing a property and require a conveyancing solicitor in Jesmond who is on the Aldermore approved panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Aldermore . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Jesmond.

I am being advised by my solicitor that absentee landlord insurance is required on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Jesmond?

The right level of absentee landlord indemnity insurance should be dictated by who who your lender is. It would differ for example between Accord Mortgages Ltd and Chelsea Building Society. Conveyancing practitioners as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Skipton. Jesmond conveyancing solicitors have been instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Skipton?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Skipton completed the survey? Have you informed Skipton as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Skipton conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I was told four weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Nottingham. Is it usual for Nottingham to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Jesmond is approved on their conveyancing panel? Nottingham have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their PI Insurance.

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

I am buying a new build apartment in Jesmond. 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 conveyancing.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Jesmond

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. 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. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. 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.

Much to my surprise my lawyer in Jesmond has informed me that he requires proof of ID documents stating that this forms part of his requirements as a solicitor on the mortgage company Conveyancing panel. Can you confirm whether this is the case?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require Jesmond conveyancing solicitors and licensed conveyancers to verify the identity of the person or body they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing business. The Terms and Conditions that you need to sign will no doubt confirm this. Your lawyer is right that the mortgage company also require certain documents to be viewed. If a you refuse to provide ID verification documents, your conveyancer would not be able to accept instructions from you. Your lawyer also has obligations to obtain certain documents in accordance with the mortgage company's UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements