I do hope you can assist me. My Dulwich lawyer is advising me that she is duty bound toapply for Dulwich conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Lloydssolicitor panel. Is this really necessary?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are taking a mortgage with a bank your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Dulwich conveyancing searches.

Is it correct that all Dulwich CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the HSBC conveyancing list of approved firms?

It is true that some banks and building societies now use CQS as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS membership however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to join their panels.

Does a directory service exist listing Nottingham panel conveyancers in Dulwich on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few lenders make their panel listings available online. Where you are looking for a Dulwich property lawyer on the Nottingham please make the most of our tool.

I had an offer accepted on a house in Dulwich on 28/7/2025, valuation was booked five days after, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer appointed, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to TSB and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the TSB conveyancing panel. Can the lender hold off the offer?

A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for TSB to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the TSB conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Dulwich in advance of instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. Our surveyor has said that some banks tend not give a mortgage on a flying freehold house.

It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different instructions for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to call us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Dulwich. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Dulwich especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Dulwich.

I have been advised by a number of estate agents in Dulwich to locate a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your site over and above another?

We refuse to offer any financial incentive for sending work our way. We found it would be just too difficult to pay a commission as home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

My sister completed her conveyancing in Dulwich in 2005. She has since got married, widowed and in recent months got married again. She intends to sell the house in a few weeks. I suspect that she will simply be asked to supply copies of her marriage papers to the lawyer but she is concerned it could hold up the sale of the house. Should she instruct a conveyancing practitioner to update the land title information for the property?

The is no need to update the register providing you have the evidence required to show how the change of name has come about.

Any buyer’s conveyancer should examine the registered entries and ask for evidence to establish the change of name for example marriage certificates.