We are buying our first property. The conveyancing practitioner has texted usto enquire if we would like to order extra conveyancing searches. We are really unsure what's recommended for conveyancing in Thornton Heath

The range of Thornton Heath conveyancing searches depends entirely on the premises, the location, the possibility of any of these risks, your knowledge of the area and risks, your general approach to risk. What matters is that you properly appreciate what information each search could give you. You may then make a decision if you consider that you need that information. Where you are unsure, ask your conveyancing practitioner to recommend.

It is a dozen years since I purchased my house in Thornton Heath. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate my title deeds. Will this cause complications?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be with your mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who oversaw your purchase. Secondly in most cases the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Thornton Heath involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

There is lots of here concerning conveyancing in Thornton Heath but can you isolate your top tip for appointing the right conveyancer in Thornton Heath

We would encourage you not to go for the lowest Thornton Heath conveyancing fees. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of time.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Thornton Heath off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Barclays. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Thornton Heath. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an upfront payment of £150. Soon after, the lawyer called me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Coventry BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

Taking into account that I will soon spend 450k on 3 bedroom house in Thornton Heath I would like to have a conversation with the lawyer concerning thehouse move in advance of giving the go ahead to the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

We could not agree more - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor due to be doing your property ownership legalities in Thornton Heath.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - every client is an important individual, not a matter number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are quoted for your conveyancing in Thornton Heath should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.

I need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer in Thornton Heath for my purchase. Is there any facility to check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

One may find presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find records Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor telephone calls for training purposes.