My financial adviser requires my Winchester solicitor’s panel reference for the Lloyds conveyancing panel. What is the best way to obtain this. I have tried my local Winchester branch but they have not responded to me.

Have you tried contacting your Winchester conveyancer about this?. They keep a central record lender panel numbers.

Are the BSA intent on creating a online directory to list firms on the Loughborough BS conveyancing panel for example in Winchester?

We are not aware of any plans on the part of the BSA to promote such a register.

My aunt informed me that in buying a property in Winchester there could be a number of restrictions prohibiting external changes to a property. Is this right?

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

I am purchasing a terrace house in Winchester. We would like to convert the garage to an office at the house.Will legal work on the property include checks to ascertain if these works are prohibited?

Your conveyancer should review the deeds as conveyancing in Winchester can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain alterations or necessitated the permission of another owner. Some works require local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Certain locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. It would be sensible to check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I have paid off my mortgage with Bank of Ireland. I assume I don't need a Winchester lawyer on the Bank of Ireland panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your Bank of Ireland mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Bank of Ireland mortgage from the register. Bank of Ireland, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where Bank of Ireland has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Bank of Ireland has instructed the Land Registry to do so

I decided to have a survey completed on a house in Winchester in advance of retaining lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. My surveyor advised that some lenders will not give a loan on this type of home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can investigate further via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Winchester. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Winchester to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my father I am selling a property in Monmouth but I am based in Winchester. My conveyancer (who is 200 miles awayneeds me to execute a statutory declaration before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Winchester to attest this legal document for me?

strictly speaking you are unlikely to need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are located in Winchester