Can you help? My St Albans conveyancer is assuring me that he has toorder St Albans conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westapproved lawyer panel. Do I not have any say here?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a mortgage company your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out St Albans conveyancing searches.

I have an AIP. The lender mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel solicitor as I would prefer to instruct a St Albans based conveyancing firm?

You should check but the the likelihood is that appoint one of their panel lawyers should you want the "fee-free" deal. Speak to the mortgage company and ask if they allow a monetary alternative. It is not unheard for a lender to give a £250 cashback as a further option in which case that money can go towards the cost for your conveyancing solicitor in St Albans.

What is the difference between a licensed conveyancer and conveyancing solicitor in St Albans

There are many recorded licenced Conveyancers in St Albans and Solicitor partnerships in St Albans offering conveyancing It is important to make clear that the two are supervised by regulatory bodies with both specialising in the legal aspects of transferring property. Both can handle other property legal work such as remortgage conveyancing, lease extensions and transfer of equity conveyancing.

We previously instructed conveyancing lawyers with offices in St Albans on the Nationwide solicitor panel. They are now charging me a further charge for handling the Nationwide mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Nationwide?

Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your solicitor may levy a fee for this. The charge is not set by Nationwide but by your St Albans property lawyer. Some firms on the Nationwide panel will levy an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of practices incorporate it on their overall fee.

Intending to buy a house in St Albans. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the HSBC conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the St Albans lawyer is on the HSBC conveyancing panel.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. St Albans is the location of the property. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in St Albans are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in St Albans you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in St Albans may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

At long last a loan offer from a lender for the remortgage of my 2 bedroom maisonette is coming imminently. Are you able to recommend a low cost remortgage conveyancing law firm in St Albans ?

You are on the wrong site if you are in need of a cheap conveyancing in St Albans. We can offer you value for money conveyancing but our intention is not to work with the cheapest lawyers. Resist the temptation to appoint companies offering £99 conveyancing in St Albans.In your best case scenario, in going for cheap conveyancing, you will get what you pay for and at worst you will end up being stung for additional fee and still not receive the service required.