Please help. My Stansted solicitor is advising me that he has toconduct Stansted conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the Virgin Moneysolicitor panel. Is this really necessary?

You have limited options available to you. As you are obtaining a mortgage with a lender your has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your 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 specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Stansted conveyancing searches.

Will commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may impact a commercial site in Stansted?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Stansted will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Stansted. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Stansted.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Stansted it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately may cause delays to Stansted commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Stansted.

The deeds to my home can not be found. The lawyers who dealt with the conveyancing in Stansted 5 years ago have long since closed. What are my next steps?

Assuming you have a registered title the information relating to your proprietorship will be retained by the Land Registry with a Title Number. It is possible to execute a search at the Land Registry, locate your house and secure up to date copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. If the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will also normally hold a certified duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for a small fee.

I have been pointed in your direction by two or three local property agents in Stansted to choose a solicitor using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to recommend your site over another?

We refuse to make any commission for sending work our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

My husband and I are 3 weeks into a leasehold purchase having been recommend to solicitors by the estate agent to do our conveyancing in Stansted. I am not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new lawyers?

A solicitor would have to be really poor to suggest changing them. Has your loan offer been generated? If so you need to make them aware of the new contact details and have the loan are re-sent. Your conveyancer should be on the banks approved list to avoid supplemental fees and frustration. That should be your starting point. The search tool should help you find a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Stansted