I am in the process of selling my house in Basinghall and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the purchasers are switching conveyancer. The excuse is that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only work with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to select for their conveyancing in Basinghall ?

Banks have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Banks blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to reveal 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. Some 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. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

Having sold my house in Basinghall last May yet the purchaser is texting every few hours to moan that his conveyancer is waiting to hear from myconveyancer. What should have happened following completion?

Post completion of your house sale your solicitor is obliged to forward the transfer documentation and all additional paperwork to the buyer’s solicitors. If applicable, your solicitor should also send confirmation that the mortgage has been repaid to the buyers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks specific conveyancing in Basinghall.

I have justfound out that Wolstenholmes have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Basinghall for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I be sure that the property is registered correctly in the name of the previous owner?

The quickest way to see if the premises is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Basinghall conveyancing specialists.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Basinghall for my house move. Is it possible to see a solicitor's complaints history with the legal regulator?

One may read published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA sometimes monitor telephone calls for training reasons.

Can I determine who is the owner of a house in Basinghall?

As long as the property is recorded at HMLR, and you have sufficient specifics of the address of the premises, you will be able to view details from the HM Land Registry of the registered owner for a fee.