I am hoping to move into my new home in Widnes next Tuesday. My property lawyer now wants me to supply her with proof of content and building insurance for the property as as she informs me that she is duty bound to validate that it is in order for the bank. What risks does the lender expect the insurance to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for lenders would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 conditions. These obligations are not limited to conveyancing in Widnes.

Me and my partner are purchasing a property in Widnes. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to put money into their account. What is the protection 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.

Is it correct that all Widnes CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Coventry BS conveyancing list of approved firms?

Some major banks and building societies now use the accreditation scheme as the kick off point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

We expect to receive a OIP from Nottingham this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Nottingham recommend any Widnes solicitors on the Nottingham conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Widnes solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Nottingham through the process.

I own a semi-detached Victorian property in Widnes. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Yorkshire Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Widnes and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the position with the conveyancing solicitor who carried out the work.

I have been advised by two or three local selling agents in Widnes to choose a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to promote your lawyers over and above another?

We don’t offer any commission for directing people to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

One month into purchasing a house in Widnes. Conveyancing lawyer has phoned to say the title is "Leasehold". Does this impact the salability of the house?

Widnes conveyancing does not in most situations involve leasehold houses. The crucial factor here is the length of lease and the ground rent. If it's 999 years with a nominal rent, it's almost the same as freehold, so it shouldn't impact the value too much.

At the other extreme, if it's, say, fifty five years it is bound to have a significant impact on the saleability, and probably wouldn't be acceptable to the bank. The remaining lease term and ground rent will be specified in the lease to be supplied to your solicitor.