I am nearing exchange of contracts for my house in Hadfield and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the buyers are swapping law firm. I am told that this is due to the fact that the lender will only work with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a major mortgage company only deal with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Hadfield ?

Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for over 25 years.

Lending institutions blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – 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. Plenty of firms are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your buyers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

I am acquiring a house for cash in Hadfield. I have resided for the last dozen years in Hadfield. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I have knowledge of the area and road intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a mortgage, then the vast majority of the Hadfield conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your lawyer will 'advise', perhaps strongly, that you should have searches done, but he has a professional duty to do this. Do take into account; if you are intend to dispose of the house in the future, it may be of importance to your future buyer what the searches determine. There are plenty of instances where properties with no practical issues can still reveal unpredicted search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Hadfield should be able to give you some sensible guidance concerning this.

I just acquired a house at auction in Hadfield. Conveyancing is necessary. What happens now?

Given that you have now legally committed yourself to purchase you must appoint a conveyancing practitioner soon as you now have a pending deadline in which to complete the conveyancing. An auction property should have a corresponding auction pack. This will likely include most,if not all of the documents that your lawyer will need. Where you are dealing with leasehold premises the auction papers should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation specific to leasehold premises. You should hand this to the solicitor working for you at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that your finances are in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Bank of Ireland. Hadfield conveyancing practitioners are appointed. How long does it take for Bank of Ireland to forward the offer to the lawyer?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Bank of Ireland conducted the valuation? Have you advised Bank of Ireland as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in April 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, UBS are being problematic. The Hadfield solicitor who is on the UBS conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but UBS are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do UBS have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that UBS have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why UBS may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I have been on the look out for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and identified one close by in Hadfield I like with a park and station in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Hadfield in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be an issue. Discount the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this.

Can a conveyancer remove someone from the title of my home in Hadfield ?

Subtracting or adding someone to the title of your home is relatively straightforward. You’ll need to appoint a conveyancer to discuss your legal rights before you can proceed with a transfer of property. Contact us to book a free consultation with one a conveyancer