My fiance and I are hoping to buy a newbuild apartment in Parkstone with a residential mortgage from Virgin Money.We would like to retain our Parkstone conveyancing solicitor but Virgin Money advised that she’s not on their "panel". we are left little option but to use a Virgin Money panel solicitor or keep our high street solicitor and pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that Virgin Money use our lawyer?

Unfortunately,no. The home loan offered to you contains terms and conditions, a common one being that conveyancers must be on the Virgin Money approved list. Until recently, most banks had large numbers of solicitors 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 solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Virgin Money

My stepmother pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Parkstone there may be various restrictions as to what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Parkstone which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Parkstone should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I'm the sole recipient of my late father’s estate and I have everything in my name alone, including the my former home in Parkstone. The Parkstone property was put into my name in August. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', which means that my property ownership could be considered the same way as if I'd bought the house in August. Is the property unsalable for six months?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you might be impacted by that. Most mortgage companies would take a sensible view as this obligation is primarily there to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the quick reselling of properties.

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

If you have finished paying off your Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance mortgage from the register. Kent Reliance, 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 Kent Reliance has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Kent Reliance has instructed the Land Registry to do so

three months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Parkstone concluded. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £160,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the premises from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Parkstone. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Parkstone

The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry.

I have been pointed in your direction by numerous estate agents in Parkstone to choose a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to offer your services rather than a competitor’s?

We refuse to offer any referral fee for pointing buyers and sellers to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.