My brother-in-law has suggested I instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Victoria. I I am struggling to find out if they are accepted on the Barclays Direct approved list of lawyers. Can you help?

You should phone the conveyancer and enquire whether they can act for the lender. Otherwise you should get in touch with Barclays Direct who may be able to confirm.

Me and my partner are purchasing a property in Victoria. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we will need to put funds into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I am purchasing a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Victoria. Our aim is to carry out a loft conversion at the house.Will legal conveyancing on the property involve investigations to see if these alterations are prohibited?

Your property lawyer should check the registered title as conveyancing in Victoria can on occasion identify restrictions in the title deeds which restrict certain alterations or need the consent of a 3rd party. Certain extensions require local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be prudent to check these things with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

It is not clear whether my lender obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Victoria bank branch on a couple of occasions and was told it does not affect the mortgage offer and they would lend. My Victoria conveyancing solicitor - who is on the lender conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend in accordance with their UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook minimum lease term requirements. I simply don't know who is right.

Provided that the conveyancer is on the bank approved list, she or he must follow the CML Handbook specifications for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

Should our conveyancer be raising enquiries about flooding as part of the conveyancing in Victoria.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors specialising in conveyancing in Victoria. Plenty of people will buy a property in Victoria, completely aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or sell the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a number of searches that may be initiated by the buyer or by their solicitors which can figure out the risks in Victoria. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms supplied to a buyer’s solicitor (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard question of the seller to determine whether the premises has suffered from flooding. In the event that the property has been flooded in past which is not notified by the seller, then a buyer could issue a claim for damages resulting from an incorrect answer. The purchaser’s conveyancers should also conduct an environmental search. This will indicate if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional inquiries should be conducted.

three months have gone by since my purchase conveyancing in Victoria took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £180,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the residence from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

In sourcing the web for the term conveyancing in Victoria it brings up numerous solicitorsin the area. How do I determine which is the right property lawyer for me?

The preferential method of finding a suitable conveyancer is via personal referral, so seek the opinion of colleagues and family who have purchased a property in Victoria or a reputable estate agent or mortgage broker. Costs for conveyancing in Victoria vary, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of four fee estimates from different law firms. Dont forget to clarify what costs in the quote includes.