I am nearing exchange of contracts for my maisonette in Vauxhall and the EA has just e-mailed to advise that the purchasers are swapping property lawyer. The excuse is that the lender will only deal with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major mortgage company only work with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Vauxhall ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Lending institutions point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been tightened 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 buyers are not going to have any impact on this.

I do hope you can assist me. My Vauxhall solicitor is informing me me that he has toapply for Vauxhall conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Virgin Moneyapproved lawyer panel. Is this really necessary?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. As you are obtaining a home loan with a lender your has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook conditions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Vauxhall conveyancing searches.

I can see plenty of information on this site concerning conveyancing in Vauxhall but can you isolate your top tip for appointing the right conveyancer in Vauxhall

Do not opt for the lowest Vauxhall conveyancing fees. You really do get what you’re paying for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you know exactly what you’ll have to pay in ahead of the deal.

I am buying a victorian detached house in Vauxhall. Our aim is to an extension at the rear at the house.Will legal work on the property include investigations to ascertain if these works were previously refused?

Your solicitor should check the deeds as conveyancing in Vauxhall will sometimes identify restrictions in the title documents which prohibit categories of alterations or necessitated the consent of another owner. Some works require local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Some areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. It would be wise to check these issues with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

My partner and I are in the process of viewing apartments in Vauxhall and I am now considering a potential offer. Should I already have a in place at this point? I will be getting a mortgage with .

It would be sensible to instigate your search sooner rather than later. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their details on to the selling agent. As you are getting a mortgage with , make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the conveyancing panel.

I used Stirling Law several years past for my conveyancing in Vauxhall. I now require my file however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Vauxhall of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my grandmother I am selling a property in Neath but live in Vauxhall. My lawyer (based 300 kilometers awayrequires that I sign a stat dec prior to completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing solicitor in Vauxhall to witness this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are not likely to be required to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will suffice regardless of whether they are located in Vauxhall