I am one month into the sale of my maisonette in Lacock and the estate agent has just text me to warn that the purchasers are appointing a new law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a big named lender only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose for their conveyancing in Lacock ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for decades.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to reveal how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

I am expecting a OIP from Kent Reliance this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Kent Reliance recommend any Lacock solicitors on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Lacock solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Kent Reliance through the process.

It is not clear whether my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Lacock building society branch on various occasions and was told it does not impact the mortgage offer and they will lend. My Lacock conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called and was told they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. I have no idea who is right.

Provided that the property lawyer is on the mortgage company approved list, they must adhere to the CML Handbook conditions for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

After what seems like an age I have had an offer on an apartment in Lacock agreed to, the owners do nevertheless have a dependent purchase. The vendors have put an offer on a flat, but it’s not been accepted yet, and have viewings of other apartments in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Lacock. What should be my next step? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with TSB?

It is usual to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of £1k, then valuation, Lacock conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you should ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the TSB approved list. Concerning the next stages this very much depends on the uniqueness of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market some buyers will apply for the mortgage with TSB and arrange for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their lawyer to move forward with the conveyancing in Lacock.

I am looking for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one near me in Lacock I like with amenity areas and station in the vicinity, however it only has 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Lacock suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

Should you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial property in Lacock and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to affords protection to commercial leaseholders, giving them the right to apply to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing practices who use the act to your advantage and handle your commercial conveyancing in Lacock

Do banks and building societies provide you with an approved list of Lacock solicitors? How do you know who is on the lender conveyancing panel?

Lacock law firm practices and firms conducting conveyancing in Lacock themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the lender conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the bank directly.