I am nearing exchange of contracts for my apartment in Romney and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are switching property lawyer. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading lender only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Romney ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for decades.

Banks point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. 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 are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

My wife and I have just bought a property in Romney. We have noticed several issues with the property which we suspect were omitted in the conveyancing searches. Do we have any recourse? Can you clarify the nature of searches that needed to have been conducted as part of conveyancing in Romney?

It is not clear from the question as what problems have arisen and if they are specific to conveyancing in Romney. Conveyancing searches and investigations initiated during the legal transfer of property are designed to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, the vendor answers a document called a Seller’s Property Information Form. If the information turns out to be inaccurate, you could possibly take legal action against the vendor for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Romney.

Have purchased a a detached house in Romney , how long should it take for the Land Registry to record the transfer to my name? My Romney conveyancing solicitor has been painfully slow, so I want to be certain the registration is dealt with.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Romney registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can vary according to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry need to notify any 3rd parties. At present approximately 80% of such applications are fully addressed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be extensive hold-ups. Historically registration takes place once the purchaser is living at the property thus post completion formalities is not typically primary concern but where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your conveyancer should contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

My uncle has encouraged me to instruct his lawyers for conveyancing in Romney. Do I take his guidance?

Much as we are happy to recommend a Romney conveyancing lawyer it’s preferable to find a conveyancing practitioner is to seek referrals from friends or family who have actually used the conveyancer that you are are thinking of instructing.

My husband and I are searching for an affordable conveyancing solicitor in Romney to purchase a home. I I am concerned about by bill escalating out of control but with lots of Romney conveyancing organisations out there...how do I know which one to appoint?

Where you have never used a before, a personal recommendation through family or friends is a preferable starting point and is often the best indicator of quality. As an alternative option, consult the Law Society’s regional record of solicitors in Romney or use our search tool to locate a conveyancing lawyer in Romney.