I am selling my ground floor flat in Wimborne and the EA has just text me to advise that the purchasers are changing their law firm. The reason given is that the mortgage company will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a big named lender only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Wimborne ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.

Mortgage companies justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

My grandfather passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Wimborne. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £4500. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Nationwide, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Where you plan to re-mortgage then Nationwide will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Nationwide conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Nationwide mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

My stepmother informed me that in buying a property in Wimborne there may be a number of restrictions as to what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Wimborne which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Wimborne should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I'm in the process of looking at houses in Wimborne and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it wise to have a property lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a home loan with Bank of Ireland.

It would be wise to commence your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the estate agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with Bank of Ireland, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

Having digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Wimborne solicitor - who is on the Barclays conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. is that correct?

Barclays will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Barclays will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Wimborne postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Barclays, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Wimborne.

My colleague advised me that if I am buying in Wimborne I should ask my conveyancer to perform a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Wimborne conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Wimborne around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Wimborne Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Wimborne Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data regarding Wimborne.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing solicitor in Wimborne for my home move. Is there any facility to see a firm’s record with the legal regulator?

You can search for documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from investigations commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, telephone 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 recorded telephone calls for training requirements.