Me and my fiancee are buying our first house. The property lawyer has calledto ask if we want to order supplemental conveyancing searches. Unfortunately we have no idea as to what's appropriate for conveyancing in Prescot and Knowlsey

The scope of Prescot and Knowlsey conveyancing searches depends entirely on the premises, the location, the likelihood of any of these risks, your familiarity of the locality and risks, your general approach to risk. What matters is that you properly understand what information the searches could give you. You may then make a decision if you personally think you need that information. Should you be unsure, ask the lawyer to guide you.

At what point will exchange of contracts happen for purchase conveyancing in Prescot and Knowlsey and do I need to attend the solicitors branch?

If you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Prescot and Knowlsey you are invited in to sign contracts. That being said, the firms we recommend offer a national conveyancing service and provide as equally detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you by post or email. The signing of the purchase agreement is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the conveyancer to officially exchange when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The exchange process is is usually a five minute process, although where a lengthy "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Prescot and Knowlsey)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

I have 70 years unexpired on my lease and require a lease extension for my flat in Prescot and Knowlsey. Conveyancing solicitors on the Accord Mortgages panel can deal with such extensions correct?

Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are getting a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 2/10/2025 the requirements read as follows :

My husband and I have arranged a further advance on our home loan from Co-operative as we wish to conduct alterations to our property in Prescot and Knowlsey. Do we need to appoint a nearby Prescot and Knowlsey solicitor on the Co-operative conveyancing panel to handle the legals?

Co-operative don't usually appoint a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Co-operative list.

I'm at the point of looking at flats in Prescot and Knowlsey and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a solicitor in place at this stage? I intend to finance via a mortgage with Skipton.

You should start requesting conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the estate agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with Skipton, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

My offer was accepted on a house in Prescot and Knowlsey on 19/8/2025, valuation was booked 3 days after, all came back fine. Conveyancer appointed, so all that was missing was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Yorkshire BS and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Yorkshire BS to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

Our mortgage broker has suggested using their solicitor for the conveyancing in Prescot and Knowlsey - won’t it be advisable to just use them?

It is not always the case and you are entitled to use whichever lawyer you prefer for your Prescot and Knowlsey conveyancing. A conveyancing practitioner put forward by a 3rd party adviser may not necessarily be the right lawyer, they may recommend their preferred conveyancing firm who are based remotely. In this instance you may not have contact with your lawyer and due to the lack of continuity in the transaction, it may be difficult to obtain progress reports.