I am in the process of selling my flat in Suffolk and the EA has just called to warn that the purchasers are changing their solicitor. The reason given is that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading mortgage company only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Suffolk ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms that can represent them, but in recent years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Lenders justify this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to disclose 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 sway in the decision.

Can your site be used to find a Conveyancing solicitor in Suffolk even where I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for instance if I want to acquire an office in Suffolk with a loan from Bank of Scotland?

The service is mainly there to find domestic conveyancing solicitors in Suffolk but we have set out towards the end of this page a selection of Suffolk commercial conveyancing firms. You will need to enquire with the solicitors directly to check if they can also act for Bank of Scotland

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Kent Reliance. Suffolk conveyancing lawyers were appointed. How long does it take for Kent Reliance to send the offer to the conveyancing practitioner?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Kent Reliance conducted the survey? Have you informed Kent Reliance as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with UBS. I assume I don't need a Suffolk lawyer on the UBS panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your UBS mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the UBS mortgage from the register. UBS, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where UBS has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. UBS has instructed the Land Registry to do so

After much negotiation I have agreed a price on an apartment in Suffolk. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an advanced payment of £175. A couple of days later, the property lawyer contacted me embarrassingly acknowledging that they were not on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?

You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Coventry BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.

I am buying a new build flat in Suffolk. Conveyancing is daunting 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.

Here are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Suffolk

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. 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. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose?

My husband and I are 14 days into a residential purchase having been directed to solicitors by the high street agent to carry out the conveyancing in Suffolk. I am am extremely frustrated with the level of service. Can you you assist me in finding new solicitors?

A conveyancer would have to be really poor in order to consider replacing them. Has your loan offer been issued? If so you need to inform them of the new contact details and ensure the mortgage documents are re-sent. Your conveyancer needs to be on the lenders panel to avoid escalating charges and delays. That should be your first question of the new conveyancers. Our find a solicitor tool can assist you in finding a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Suffolk