Is the fact that my solicitor in Cannington is not on my lender's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?

That is more than likely a wrong assumption to make. There are plenty of reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should simply call the Cannington conveyancing firm and ask them why they are no longer on the approved list for your mortgage company.

My husband and I are buying a purpose built flat in Cannington with a mortgage from Godiva Mortgages Ltd.We have a Cannington conveyancing practitioner but Godiva Mortgages Ltd advised that he's not on their approved list of firms. we are left little option but to use a Godiva Mortgages Ltd panel solicitor or retain our high street solicitor and fork out for a Godiva Mortgages Ltd panel lawyer to act for them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The home loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that lawyers must be on the Godiva Mortgages Ltd approved list. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Godiva Mortgages Ltd

I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Cannington. Now, I need my files however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should contact 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 Cannington of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously used, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I have been recommended by a few estate agents in Cannington to select a conveyancer on your site. What’s the financial incentive for Estate Agents to offer your lawyers ahead of another?

We don’t give any financial incentive for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

My in 2007. He has been married, divorced and in recent months got married again. He now wants to dispose of the Cannington property. I suspect that he will just be need to supply copies of the marriage certificates to the solicitor but he is concerned it will delay the sale of the property. Should he appoint a property lawyer to update the land title documents for the house?

The is no need to update the title for the property as long as you have the proof needed to show how the name change occurred.

Any purchaser’s conveyancer should review the registered information and need evidence to establish the name change for instance marriage certificates.