I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Greenford and the EA has just text me to say that the buyers are swapping law firm. The reason given is that the lender will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading mortgage company only engage with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Greenford ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Banks justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say 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. Some 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 impact on this.

At what point will exchange of contracts occur in residential conveyancing in Greenford and am I required to attend the solicitors office?

Where you are round the corner to our conveyancing solicitors in Greenford you are invited in to sign documents. However, the law practices we work with supply countrywide coverage for conveyancing and give just as comprehensive and professional a job for you when dealing with you digitally. The signing of the purchase agreement is not the critical part. Signing on the dotted line is just a prerequisite for the solicitor to address the formalities at the appropriate time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Greenford)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.

I am helping my sister sell her property in Greenford. Does the solicitor arrange an energy assessment or should I organise this?

Following the demise of HIPs, energy performance certificates was left as a required part of selling a property. An energy performance certificate needs to be to hand before the property is placed on the market. This is not something that conveyancers ordinarily organise. Where you are instructing a Greenford conveyancing lawyer they might help arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with long established Greenford energy assessors

A friend pointed out to me me that in purchasing a property in Greenford there may be various restrictions prohibiting external alterations to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Greenford which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Greenford should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I have a mortgage with Lloyds for my property in Greenford. Conveyancing was finalised months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform Lloyds?

Lloyds must be informed of your intention in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Lloyds’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Lloyds directly. You need not do this via a Lloyds conveyancing panel firm.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Greenford?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Greenford. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Are there any apps to assist me to search for a Greenford law firm on the Coventry Building Society conveyancing panel? I have wheels and am prepared to travel upto 25kilometers to meet the solicitor.

Feel free to make use of the search on this page. Please pick a mortgage company and your location and you will see a number of Greenford conveyancing lawyers located nearest you. We have listed some Greenford conveyancing firms towards the end of this page and you can telephone them to check if they are on the Coventry Building Society member panel