I am selling my home in Sprotbrough and the estate agent has just e-mailed to advise that the buyers are switching solicitor. The reason given is that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a big named mortgage company only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Sprotbrough ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. Banks tend not to reveal 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 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. Your purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

I have been recommended a conveyancing solicitor in Sprotbrough. I I am struggling to find out whether they are accepted on the Godiva Mortgages Ltd conveyancing panel. Could you advise?

The first thing to do is contact your lawyer and ask them if they can act for the bank. Alternatively please get in touch with Godiva Mortgages Ltd who may be able to confirm.

I just acquired a house at auction in Sprotbrough. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Now that you have legally committed yourself to purchase you now have to retain a conveyancing solicitor quickly as you are facing a tight a drop dead date to complete the transaction. All auction property will have a corresponding auction pack. This will likely include evidence of title and search results. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the legal papers should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork relating to a leasehold property. You should give this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. Do make sure that your finances are in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Can you point me to a directory of Bank of Ireland panel solicitors in Sprotbrough on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association sites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings viewable online. If you are looking for a Sprotbrough solicitor on the Bank of Ireland please use our tool.

Our offer on a property in Sprotbrough has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have placed an offer on on an apartment, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other flats booked. I have instructed a local conveyancing solicitor in Sprotbrough. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Leeds Building Society started?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Sprotbrough conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to check that your conveyancer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Concerning the subsequent stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a rising market some home buyers will apply for the mortgage with Leeds Building Society and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to proceed with searches.

How easy is it to switch conveyancer as I need to find one who is on the Chelsea Building Society conveyancing list. I had appointed a high street conveyancing solicitor in Sprotbrough five minutes from me but he is not accepted by Chelsea Building Society

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Sprotbrough on the Chelsea Building Society panel. Please note that the property lawyers that we on the directory do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are under regulation of the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Sprotbrough. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Sprotbrough.

What are the distinct advantages to selecting a local conveyancing practitioner in Sprotbrough

Many buyers and sellers in Sprotbrough select a nearby high street conveyancing practitioner so that they can visit if they have concerns, and to deliver paperwork without using the post.

One could say that there is a slight benefit when selecting a solicitor local to a property you are buying, due to the familiarity of the area and possible local concerns - yet this is debatable. Many conveyancers undertaking their communications via the internet and may be any place in the world.