Please help. My Maxton conveyancer is assuring me that she is duty bound toconduct Maxton conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westapproved lawyer panel. These Maxton checks cost a lot of money can this be avoided?

You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a home loan with a lender your property lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your solicitor would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Maxton conveyancing searches.

Have just purchased a repossessed house at auction in Maxton. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?

Given that you have now exchanged you will need to hire the services of a conveyancing lawyer as a matter of urgency as you will have a tight a drop dead date to complete the purchase. All auction property will have a corresponding auction set of papers. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold property the legal pack should include a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to leasehold premises. You should pass this on to the lawyer working for you at the earliest opportunity. You also need to ensure that your finances are organised to complete on the date specified in the contract.

Is it the case that all Maxton CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Co-operative conveyancing list of approved firms?

Some major lenders now make use of CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. Nevertheless,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

Having read lots 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 Maxton solicitor - who is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Coventry BS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Coventry BS 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 Maxton 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.

Will our solicitor be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in Maxton.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers carrying out conveyancing in Maxton. There are those who acquire a property in Maxton, fully expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, aside from the physical damage, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate insurance cover, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the buyer.

Solicitors are not qualified to offer advice on flood risk, however there are a various checks that can be undertaken by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will figure out the risks in Maxton. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms given to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual inquiry of the seller to find out if the property has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred which is not revealed by the owner, then a purchaser may commence a legal claim for losses stemming from an misleading response. The purchaser’s lawyers will also conduct an environmental search. This should disclose whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be initiated.

I have a semi-detached Edwardian property in Maxton. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and Halifax. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the exact same property. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Maxton and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who completed the work.

How easy is it to use your search app to choose a conveyancing lawyer in Maxton on the panel for my bank?

Step one is to select a bank such as Santander, Coventry Building Society or TSB then specify your preferred area for instance Maxton. Conveyancing organisations in Maxton and further afield should be listed.