I am one month into the sale of my ground floor flat in Llandrindod Wells and the EA has just called to advise that the buyers are swapping solicitor. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major lender only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Llandrindod Wells ?

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 Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.

Banks attribute this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some 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 buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

My brother and I have recently acquired a house in Llandrindod Wells. We have since encountered a number of issues with the property which we suspect were missed in the conveyancing searches. What action can we take? Can you clarify the type of searches that needed to have been ordered as part of conveyancing in Llandrindod Wells?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are relate to conveyancing in Llandrindod Wells. Conveyancing searches and due diligence initiated as part of the buying process are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the process, the vendor answers a form called a SPIF. If the information is misleading, you may have a misrepresentation claim against the seller for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Llandrindod Wells.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Llandrindod Wells? What am I being asked for?

Llandrindod Wells conveyancing solicitors and indeed property practitioners accross the UK have an obligation under Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules to verify the ID of any client with a view to ensure that clients are who they say they are.

Conveyancing clients are required to supply two forms of certified ID; proof of identity (usually a Passport or Driving Licence) and proof of address (usually a Bank Statement no more than three months).

Proof of source of funds is also necessary under the money laundering regulations as lawyers have a duty to investigate that the monies you are utilising to acquire a property (be it the exchange deposit or the full purchase amount if you are a cash purchaser) has come from an acceptable source (such as employment savings) rather than the fruits of criminal activity.

I am purchasing a house and need a conveyancing solicitor in Llandrindod Wells who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing. 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 listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Clydesdale in certain locations such as Llandrindod Wells. We dont recommend any particular firm.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Kent Reliance, do Llandrindod Wells conveyancing practitioners incur an annual charge to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

My husband and I are at the point of looking at apartments in Llandrindod Wells and I am about to put in an offer. Should I already have a conveyancing practitioner appointed at this stage? I am planning to take a mortgage with Kent Reliance.

It would be advisable to instigate your search sooner rather than later. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the EA. Given that you are seeking a mortgage with Kent Reliance, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel.

At last I have had an offer on a maisonette in Llandrindod Wells agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on on an apartment, however it’s not been accepted yet, and are looking at other apartments in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Llandrindod Wells. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Skipton going?

It is normal to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur expenses too early (home loan application is approx one thousand pounds, then survey, Llandrindod Wells conveyancing search costs, etc). The first course of action is to ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Skipton approved list. As to the next steps this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market some home buyers would apply for the mortgage with Skipton and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their property lawyer to press on with searches.