Me and my wife are acquiring a leasehold flat in Felixstowe. My lawyer is not listed on the bank approved list. Is it possible for me to retain my Felixstowe conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the bank list of approved lawyers?

Your options include

• Carry on with your preferred Felixstowe conveyancer but your lender will undoubtedly instruct a property lawyer from their approved panel. The net result is additional cost and potential delay.
• Appoint a new conveyancing practitioner to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your solicitor to do everything within their powers to join the lender’s panel of solicitors

Are the Felixstowe conveyancing solicitors identified as being on the Nationwide conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by Nationwide?

Felixstowe conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Nationwide directly.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unseasoned as FTB of a garden flat in Felixstowe. Do I collect the keys to the house on the completion date from my lawyer? If so, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in Felixstowe?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be able to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and start moving into the property. Usually this happens early afternoon.

We are purchasing a terrace house in Felixstowe. We would like to an extension at the rear at the house.Will the conveyancing process involve investigations to determine if these alterations were previously refused?

Your solicitor will check the deeds as conveyancing in Felixstowe will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title deeds which restrict certain changes or need the permission of another owner. Many additions call for local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I've digested plenty of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Felixstowe solicitor - who is on the Principality conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Principality will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Principality will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Felixstowe surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

What will a local search reveal regarding the house I am purchasing in Felixstowe?

Felixstowe conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for instance Onsearch The local search is essential in every Felixstowe conveyancing purchase; that is if you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search should reveal data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject headings.

As co-executor for the estate of my father I am disposing of a residence in Monmouth but I am based in Felixstowe. My conveyancer (based 250 miles awayrequires that I sign a stat dec before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Felixstowe who can witness and place their company stamp on the document?

strictly speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily any notary public or solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Felixstowe based