I am progressing with the sale of my house in Clifton and the EA has just called to advise that the buyers are appointing a new property lawyer. The reason given is that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a big named mortgage company only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Clifton ?

Banks have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for many years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is hearing daily from firms 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 purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Clifton? What am I being asked for?

To satisfy the Money Laundering Regulations any Clifton conveyancing firm will require evidence of your identity in all conveyancing matters. This is usually dealt with by provision of a passport and an original bank statement or utility account evidencing where you reside.

In accordance with Money Laundering Regulations, conveyancers are required to investigate not simply the ID of conveyancing clients but also the source of the money that they receive in respect of any matter. Refusal to disclose this will lead to your lawyer ending their relationship with you, as clearly this will cause a conflict between the set Regulations and a refusal to disclose.

Your property lawyers are duty bound to inform the relevant authorities should they believe that any monies received by them may contravene the Money Laundering Regulations.

A colleague advised me that if I am purchasing in Clifton I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your Clifton conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Clifton around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Clifton Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Clifton.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one near me in Clifton I like with amenity areas and station nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 years on the lease. There is not much else in Clifton suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

I am using a search engine for the words conveyancing in Clifton it brings up numerous solicitorsin the vicinity. How do I determine which is the right property lawyer for my move?

The ideal way of finding the right conveyancer is through a trusted recommendation, so enquire of colleagues and relatives who have bought a property in Clifton or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Clifton differ, so it's sensible to secure a minimum of four costs illustrations from different conveyancers. Make sure that you clarify what costs in the quote includes.