I am nearing exchange of contracts for my maisonette in Lower Earley and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are changing their law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major lender only work with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Lower Earley ?

Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Our solicitor has uncovered a defect with the lease for the flat we are purchasing in Lower Earley. The other side have offered defective title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that he must check that the mortgage company is willing to move forward with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the mortgage company ?

Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the lender does not mean to say that the property will meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the lender are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with.

Can I use your services to locate a Conveyancing solicitor in Lower Earley even where I’m not buying or selling a house, for instance if I want to buy a shop in Lower Earley with a loan from Godiva Mortgages Ltd?

Our comparison service is mainly used to find residential conveyancing solicitors in Lower Earley but we have recorded at the end of this page some Lower Earley commercial conveyancing firms. You should enquire with the firm directly to see if they can also act for Godiva Mortgages Ltd

I bought my house on 10 June and the transaction details is not yet on the land registry website. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Lower Earley expressed confidence that it would be formalised in a couple of weeks. Are transfers in Lower Earley uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Lower Earley is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than the rest of England and Wales. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ depending on who lodges the application, whether there are errors and if the Land registry must send notices to any other persons or bodies. Currently in the region of three quarters of such applications are fully addressed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be longer delays. Registration is effected after the new owner is living at the property thus 'speed' is not always primary concern but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor must communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Lower Earley prior to appointing conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the house. Our surveyor has said that some banks tend not give a mortgage on this type of property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Lower Earley. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Lower Earley especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Lower Earley.