I require conveyancing for an apartment in a fairly new development (seven years old) in Tetbury. Almost all the properties have already been sold. Do I need carry out the conveyancing searches for my conveyancing in Tetbury?

You are taking a significant risk in not carrying out Tetbury conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying mortgage free there is no legal requirement to have them, but we would absolutely advise in the strongest possible terms that you have them. If timings and driving down costs are top of your concerns you should discuss with your solicitor about the option of search insurance

I'm the sole recipient of my late grandmother’s estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Tetbury. The Tetbury property was put into my name in August. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the house in August. Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook instructs solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you might be impacted by that. How practical a view banks take of it, depend on the bank as this provision principally exists to capture the purchase and immediately sell or the wholesaling and assigning of properties.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Kent Reliance, do Tetbury property lawyers face a yearly amount to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any bank fees to be on their panel, although some do charge an administration fee to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Santander. Tetbury conveyancing lawyers have been selected. How long does it take for Santander to issue the offer to the conveyancing practitioner?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Santander done the survey? Have you informed Santander as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Santander conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

My partner and I are planning on selling our property in Tetbury and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any local conveyancer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers instructed a nationwide conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Tetbury. We have lived in Tetbury for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain clarification need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing solicitor already. Are they able to advise? You must enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

In surfing the world wide web for the term conveyancing in Tetbury it reveals many conveyancersin the area. How do I determine which is the suitable conveyancing solicitor for the sale of my house?

The preferential way of choosing the right conveyancer is via trusted testimonial, so enquire of friends and those you trust who have bought a property in Tetbury or the local estate agent or mortgage broker. Fees for conveyancing in Tetbury vary, so it's a good idea to obtain a minimum of three quotes from different law firms. Make sure that you know that the fees are fixed.

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find a Tetbury based one who is on the lender conveyancing panel. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?

In the event that you have not formally instructed a solicitor to do anything for you and have just received an estimate as to costs, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Tetbury that you're considering.