The Newmarket conveyancing solicitors that just started acting on my purchase in Newmarket have suddenly closed. They were on acting for me because I had to have a solicitor on the conveyancing panel and my preferred Newmarket lawyer was not. I paid them funds in advance. What are my options?

If you have an estate agent involved then let them know immediately so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors may be able to assist.

A friend advised me that if I am buying in Newmarket I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is usually included in the estimate for your Newmarket conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Newmarket around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Newmarket Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Newmarket.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Newmarket is the location of the property. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Newmarket are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Newmarket you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Newmarket may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

My uncle has suggested that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Newmarket. Do I take his guidance?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to find a conveyancing practitioner is to have recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the conveyancer that you are contemplating using.

Online research suggests that Newmarket solicitors are more expensive than Newmarket conveyancers in Newmarket when it comes to purchasing a house. Am I better off using a conveyancer or a solicitor where I am buying for my home move in Newmarket.

When it comes to conveyancing in Newmarket the costs are unlikely to vary dramatically depending on whether the legal expert is a licenced conveyancer or solicitor.