I was told yesterday by my financial adviser that my Kineton lawyer is not on the bank Solicitor panel. How can I be certain that this is indeed the case?

The first thing you need to do is to contact your Kineton conveyancer. You lawyer should advise you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a Kineton conveyancing firm that is on the conveyancing panel for your lender.

Is it the case that all Kineton CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Coventry BS conveyancing list of approved practices?

Some major lenders now make use of CQS as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Kineton off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Virgin Money. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Virgin Money, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Kineton. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

Me and my brother own a 4 bedroom Edwardian property in Kineton. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Santander. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Kineton and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Kineton before retaining lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. The surveyor advised that some banks will refuse to grant a loan on this type of property.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different requirements for example to Nationwide. If you call us we can check via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Kineton. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

What is the difference between surveying and conveyancing in Kineton?

Conveyancing - in Kineton or anywhere in England and Wales - is the process of legally transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you’re buying and will help you find out about the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you a powerful reason for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the vendor to fix the problems prior to you complete your move.