My financial adviser has requested my Southwell lawyer’ panel reference for the Nat West conveyancing panel. Can you suggest how I discover this. I have e-mailed my local Southwell office but they have not got back to me yet.

You are best placed to get this information from your Southwell property lawyer . Most Southwell conveyancing practices will keep a file or database of lender panel information which would include, if applicable, their conveyancing panel details for each lender.

I am under pressure from the owner of a property in Southwell to exchange within four weeks. What can be done to quicken up the legal process?

In a situation where the seller is applying time constraints for your conveyancing we would recommend that your solicitor is familiar with the location as they will have local connections and intelligence. It is even conceivable that they would have transacted previoushomes in the same neighbourhood. Therefore consider using a Southwell conveyancing firm. Second, ensure that the conveyancing firm is on the member panel. It is said that 18% of Southwell conveyancing deals are delayed or derailed after finding out that a buyer’s solicitor was not on their banks member panel. This can often result in the transaction being frustrated by almost 21 days. It is estimated that this issue impacts approximately one hundred thousand home sales annually. Most Southwell conveyancing practices can not act for certain banks so do check at the outset.

I just acquired a house at auction in Southwell. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Now that you have exchanged you should find a conveyancing solicitor soon as you now have a fast approaching deadline in which to complete the property. An auction property should have an associated auction set of papers. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. In the case of leasehold premises the conveyancing pack should provide a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You should hand this to the solicitor instructed by you as soon as possible. Do make sure that you have funds organised to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

This question may be naive but I am unexperienced as a first time purchaser of a ground floor flat in Southwell. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on completion from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will find a local conveyancing solicitor in Southwell?

On the day of completion you do not need to go to the conveyancers office in Southwell. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the completion advance to the seller's conveyancers, and once they have received this, you should be invited to receive the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.

It is not clear whether my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Southwell building society branch on various occasions and was informed it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Southwell conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- called to say that they would not lend based on their published requirements. Who do I believe?

Your solicitor must comply with the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for your lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years remaining.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose planned roadworks that could affect a commercial property in Southwell?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Southwell will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Southwell. 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 Southwell.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Southwell it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Southwell commercial conveyancing transactions as well as pose a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not carried out for residential conveyancing in Southwell.

The deeds to my home are lost. The solicitors who conducted the conveyancing in Southwell 5 years ago no longer exist. What are my options?

You no longer need to have the physical official documentation to prove you own the land or property, as the Land Registry have everything they need in a digital format.