We are purchasing a 2 bedroom apartment in Reading with a mortgage. We like our Reading lawyer, but the lender says she’s not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the bank panel conveyancing practices or continue with our Reading conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel lawyers to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms 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 Reading conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

As someone not used to conveyancing in Reading what’s your top tip you can give me for the legal transfer of property in Reading

Not many law firms or advisers will tell you this but conveyancing in Reading and elsewhere in Berkshire is an adversarial process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there is an abundance of room for conflict between you and other parties involved in the transaction. For example, the seller, selling agent and sometimes the lender. Choosing a lawyer for your conveyancing in Reading should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE party in the legal process whose interest is to protect your best interests and to protect you.

There is a distinct creep in the "blame" culture- someone has to be blamed for the process taking so long. You should always trust your conveyancer ahead of all other players in the conveyancing process.

We just had an offer accepted to buy with Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. We have called around locally but am unable to find a Reading conveyancing firm on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society panel. Please you help?

You should make use of the find a conveyancing panel solicitor tool on this page. Pick the building society and type Reading or your preferred area and you will discover a number of lawyer offices in Reading or nearest you.

Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Reading. Conveyancing is required. What is next?

Now that you are exchanged you should find a conveyancing lawyer soon as you are faced with a pending a drop dead date to complete the purchase. An auction property should have a corresponding legal set of papers. This will likely include most,if not all of the documents that your lawyer requires. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the legal pack may include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation pertinent to leasehold premises. You should hand this to the solicitor working for you at the earliest opportunity. Do make sure that you have funds in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Bank of Ireland, do Reading conveyancing practitioners have to pay a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any lender fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with RBS. I assume I don't need a Reading lawyer on the RBS panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

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

Will our conveyancer be raising questions concerning flooding during the conveyancing in Reading.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers specialising in conveyancing in Reading. Plenty of people will buy a house in Reading, completely expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or sell the premises. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not best placed to impart advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that may be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which should give them a better appreciation of the risks in Reading. The conventional set of property information forms supplied to a purchaser’s solicitor (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a usual question of the seller to find out whether the premises has historically flooded. If flooding has previously occurred and is not disclosed by the seller, then a purchaser may issue a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect response. A purchaser’s solicitors will also carry out an enviro search. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further investigations will need to be carried out.