We wanted to use a conveyancing solicitor in Abergele for our house move. Our financial adviser has since notified us that our mortgage lenders Barnsley Building Society won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

Mortgage Companies normally restrict either the category or the number of conveyancing solicitors on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a firm must have two or more partners. As well as restricting the profile of firm, a few lenders have decided to limit the number of solicitor practices they permit to act for them. Be aware that Barnsley Building Society have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of Barnsley Building Society Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the rationalisation of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there remains mixed views regarding the level of solicitor engagement in some of that fraud. Data from the Land Registry reveal that thousands of law firms, including some in or near Abergele only conduct very few conveyances a year.

We are purchasing a apartment in Abergele. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a solicitor? On the day of competition we will need to put money into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We are getting the release of further monies on our mortgage from Nationwide as we intend to carry out renovations to our property in Abergele. Are we obliged to choose a local Abergele solicitor on the Nationwide conveyancing panel to handle the legals?

Nationwide do not ordinarily instruct a member of their approved list of lawyers to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Nationwide panel.

I am expecting a DIP from TSB this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do TSB recommend any Abergele solicitors on the TSB conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Abergele solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the TSB conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and TSB through the process.

Various internet forums that I have come across warn that are the number one cause of hinderance in Abergele conveyancing transactions. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) has noted the determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the most frequent causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Searches are not likely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Abergele.

My wife and I purchased a semi-detached Victorian property in Abergele. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Platform Home Loans Ltd. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Abergele and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also question the position with the conveyancing practitioner who carried out the work.

I am purchasing a new build house in Abergele benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not reveal to my lawyer about this deal as it could impact my loan with Skipton Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.