I can't travel far from Williton. What is the rationale as to why all Williton conveyancing practitioners are not on all mortgage company panels?

A decade ago most banks exhibited an approach to risk which is different than today. The financial regulator in 2010 instigated a thematic review into fraud which in summary warned lenders: know the conveyancers on your panel. Accordingly, lenders have since requiredmore information from law firms about their processes and the staff who work for them and set certain criteria such as completing a minimum number of transactions. Hundreds of law practices have found themselves excluded from lender panels even though they had 100% healthy track record, no complaints and zero claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Many firms were never going to meet the criteria of amount of transactions the mortgage companies insisted on.

It is is a decade since I bought my home in Williton. Conveyancing lawyers have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate the deeds. Will this jeopardise the sale?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be kept by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the title will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing solicitors obtaining current official copies of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Williton involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it is more tricky but is not insurmountable.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am new to the home moving as a 1st time purchaser of a garden flat in Williton. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Williton?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Williton. Your solicitors will transfer the purchase money to the seller's lawyers, and once they have received this, you should be invited to pick up the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.

I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nottingham. Williton conveyancing practitioners are appointed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from Nottingham?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Nottingham completed the survey? Have you advised Nottingham as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nottingham conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

Intending to buy a maisonette in Williton. 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 Nottingham 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 Williton lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Williton. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Williton

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company?

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Williton for my home move. Can I see a firm’s record with the profession’s regulator?

One can search for presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions resulting from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training purposes.