I am selling my maisonette in Worcester Park and the estate agent has just text me to warn that the buyers are switching solicitor. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a leading mortgage company only engage with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Worcester Park ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. 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 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. Your purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Will conveyancers request an advanced payment for conveyancing in Worcester Park?

If you are buying a property in Worcester Park your lawyer will request that you place them with funds to cover the the cost of the conveyancing searches. Ordinarily this is requested to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the deposit is payable against the purchase price then this should be asked for immediately ahead of exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is due should be transferred shortly before completion.

My wife and I have a semi-detached Victorian house in Worcester Park. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Skipton Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold under the matching address. Is it worth asking Skipton Building Society to clarify?

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Worcester Park and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they mortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also check the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

I am buying a new build apartment in Worcester Park. Conveyancing is necessary evil 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 legal work.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Worcester Park

Please supply a car parking plan. 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. The Landlord must covenant to assume the management if the Management Company goes into liquidation or otherwise defaults in running the management scheme. Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

I am using a search engine for the term conveyancing in Worcester Park it brings up many property lawyersin the vicinity. With so much choice what is the best way to find the suitable conveyancing solicitor for the sale of my house?

The preferential method of choosing a suitable conveyancer is through a personal testimonial, so ask friends and relatives who have purchased a property in Worcester Park or a respected estate agent or mortgage broker. Costs for conveyancing in Worcester Park vary, so it's sensible to request a minimum of three estimates from different solicitors. Make sure that you clarify what costs in the quote includes.