I am in the process of selling my ground floor flat in Wisbech and the EA has just e-mailed to warn that the buyers are appointing a new solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading lender only engage with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Wisbech ?

UK lenders have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for decades.

Lenders attribute this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

We are buying a flat and require a conveyancing solicitor in Wisbech who is on the Co-operative solicitor panel. Can you recommend a local solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to be listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Co-operative . We don't recommend any particular firms conducting conveyancing in Wisbech.

I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Wisbech. Now, I need the files however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Wisbech of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build apartment in Wisbech. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Wisbech

Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? 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. Please provide evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Wisbech I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Wisbech for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be an issue. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.