Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Portsmouth. I would like to know the reason why all Portsmouth solicitors are not on all mortgage company panels?
As inequitable as it may seem for banks to limit who can represent them, from the public’s or conveyancer’s point of view, the other side of the coin is that lenders are becoming ever more anxious and regard it necessary to defend themselves from illegal activities. As a result of this concern lenders are limiting their conveyancing panel to a size that they are happy to control.
My husband and I are purchasing a new build flat in Portsmouth and my lawyer is informing me that she is duty bound to the mortgage company to reveal incentives from the seller. I am under pressure to sign contracts and I have no desire to delay deal. is my lawyer playing by the book?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your conveyancing practitioner. A precondition to being on a lender panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook conditions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
I am buying a house and the solicitor has referenced Chancel Repair to which the property may be liable because it falls into the area of such a church. She has recommended insurance. Is this strictly warranted for conveyancing in Portsmouth
Unless a prior purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you can expect conveyancing practitioners carrying out conveyancing in Portsmouth to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.
How difficult is it to change conveyancer as I need to instruct a firm on the The Mortgage Works conveyancing panel. I was using a family conveyancing solicitor in Portsmouth five minutes from me but he is not accepted by The Mortgage Works
We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Portsmouth on the The Mortgage Works panel. Please note that the solicitors that we work with do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are fully regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Portsmouth. Using search facility on this page, you can scrutinise fees for conveyancing solicitors in Portsmouth and throughout England and Wales.
I have just become aware that one of the directors of the solicitors acting on the purchase conveyancing in Portsmouth is an uncle of the owners that we are purchasing from. Is this allowed?
As long as no conflict arises this should be fine. If you are requiring a home loan then the mortgage company may have a say as many banks have specific instructions on this. For example for Clydesdale Bank as of 7/9/2025, the requirements read as follows :