My husband and I are intending to purchase a 2 bedroom flat in Cricklade with a mortgage. We have a Cricklade conveyancer, but the bank says he's not on their "panel". It appears that we have no option but to appoint one of the mortgage company panel firms or keep our Cricklade property lawyer as well as pay for one of their panel ones to act for them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose 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. Another option that might be available is for your Cricklade conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.

Do lawyers request money up-front for conveyancing in Cricklade?

If you are buying a property in Cricklade your solicitor will request that you place them with funds to cover the search fees. This will be the total of the cost of the conveyancing searches. If any deposit is as part of the total price then this should be required immediately in advance of contracts are exchanged. Any further balance that is due will be payable shortly before completion.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a first time purchaser of a garden flat in Cricklade. Do I pick up the keys to the house on completion from my lawyer? If so, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Cricklade?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in Cricklade. Your solicitors will arrange to send the completion advance to the seller's lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be called to receive the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this occurs between 1 and 3pm.

Is it the case that all Cricklade solicitors on the Nottingham conveyancing panel are regulated by the SRA?

As a firm of solicitors, in order to be on the Nottingham conveyancing panel they would need to be overseen by the SRA. The majority of mortgage companies do permit licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such organisation would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

I recently had an offer accepted on an apartment in Cricklade. My mortgage broker recommended their conveyancers. I paid an on account payment of £150. A few days later, the solicitor contacted me to say that they were not on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Kent Reliance panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I note that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when purchasing a property in Cricklade? or Apparently there is historic law that could mean that house owners living in a parish church boundary may be liable to contribute towards repairs towards the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this a legitimate concern for conveyancing in Cricklade?

Unless a previous acquisition of the house took place post 12 October 2013 you can take it that lawyers handling conveyancing in Cricklade to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I am buying a new build flat in Cricklade. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Here are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Cricklade

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. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose?