we are a couple who intend to purchase a newbuild apartment in Harrow with a residential mortgage from The Royal Bank of Scotland.We use our Harrow conveyancing practitioner but The Royal Bank of Scotland says he's not listed on their approved list of firms. It seems we are left with no choice but to instruct a The Royal Bank of Scotland panel lawyer or keep our high street solicitor and pay for a The Royal Bank of Scotland panel lawyer to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that The Royal Bank of Scotland use our lawyer?

Unfortunately,no. The loan offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will be on the The Royal Bank of Scotland approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for The Royal Bank of Scotland

If you had a top tip for choosing a conveyancing solicitor in Harrow what would it be?

Do not opt for the cheapest Harrow conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to conveyancing solicitors. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in advance.

is it true that all Harrow solicitors on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel are governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?

As solicitors, in order to be on the Bank of Ireland approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. The majority of banks do list licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such organisation would be governed by the CLC.

I am purchasing a property in Harrow. An unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Virgin Money have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

As your lender is Virgin Money your lawyer must check the formal instructions outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Virgin Money. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Virgin Money where a lease does not comply with these provisions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not restricted to Harrow.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose proposed roadworks that may affect a commercial site in Harrow?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Harrow will perform a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers expend in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Harrow. The search result provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Harrow.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Harrow it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately could result in delays to Harrow commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not conducted for domestic conveyancing in Harrow.

I am using a search engine for the phrase on line conveyancing in Harrow it reveals numerous solicitorsin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right property lawyer for my move?

The best way of choosing a suitable conveyancer is via personal testimonial, so ask friends and family who have acquired a property in Harrow or a reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Charges for conveyancing in Harrow differ, so it's advisable to secure at least four fee estimates from varying types of solicitors. Dont forget to clarify that the charges are assured not to increase.

We are about to acquiring a apartment in Harrow. Can the conveyancing practitioner keep our transaction price a secret from sites such as Nestoria. Is this possible and how?

HM Land Registry as a matter of law bound to note price sold data on a register of the title for domestic properties countrywide which includes premises in Harrow. The register of title is an open document, so HM Land Registry would be breaching their statutory duty excluded specific homes such as the one in Harrow.

You can ask HMLR to hide the amount paid entry yet the answer will be in the negative.