I am nearing exchange of contracts for my home in Riding Mill and the estate agent has just called to say that the purchasers are swapping conveyancer. The excuse is that the lender will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only deal with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Riding Mill ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Santander, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for many years.

Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

When does exchange of contracts happen for purchase conveyancing in Riding Mill and am I required to be at the conveyancers branch?

Where you are in close proximity to our conveyancing solicitors in Riding Mill you are welcome to attend to sign contracts. However, the lender approved solicitors we recommend offer countrywide coverage for conveyancing and provide as equally comprehensive and professional a job for you when communicating with you by post or email. The signing of the purchase agreement is not the important part. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the conveyancer to address the formalities when the time is right, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The procedure is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where a lengthy "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Riding Mill)to be in the office at the appropriate time.

Do commercial conveyancing searches disclose impending roadworks that may affect a commercial property in Riding Mill?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Riding Mill will carry out 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 Riding Mill. The search result sets out 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 Riding Mill.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Riding Mill it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately can cause delays to Riding Mill commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Riding Mill.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Riding Mill. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Riding Mill

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. Please supply a car parking plan. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared.

Should local authority consent be needed to change a single dwelling into multiple flats in Riding Mill? This has been carried out to a property adjacent to my house in Riding Mill and was unaware of it happening until it was done.

Planning consent is necessary for splitting a single dwelling in Riding Mill into flats but possibly not for converting once again to single dwelling-house so, in answer to your query, yes.