Me and my partner are purchasing a 2 bedroom flat in Kent with a mortgage. We like our Kent conveyancer, but the mortgage company advise he's not on their "panel". It appears that we have no option but to select one of the lender panel conveyancing practices or continue with our Kent property lawyer and pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; can we not insist that the lender use our Kent property lawyer ?

No, not really. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your Kent conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

I'm the single beneficiary of my late father’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the my former home in Kent. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in June. I want to move. I understand that there is a Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', which means that my property ownership may be considered the same way as if I'd bought the house in June. Will no one buy the property for half a year?

The CML handbook requires solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you might be caught by that. How practical a view lenders take of it, depend on the lender as this requirement principally exists to pick up on subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of property.

I have paid off my mortgage with Barclays. I assume I don't need a Kent property lawyer on the Barclays panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Barclays mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Barclays mortgage from the register. Barclays, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Barclays has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Barclays has instructed the Land Registry to do so

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Kent. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I would like to complain about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

Various internet forums that I have frequented warn that are the main reason for stalling in Kent house deals. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the determinations of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the top 10 causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Kent.

I have justbeen informed that Arc property Solicitors have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in Kent for a purchase of a freehold house 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the previous owner?

The easiest method to check if the premises is in your name, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Kent conveyancing specialists.

Is planning permission needed to convert a house into multiple flats in Kent? This has been done to a house next door to my house in Kent and was ignorant of it happening until after the works were complete.

Planning Permission yes. Building Reg Approval yes.