Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my conveyancer in Bristol is not identified on my lender's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her work?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Bristol conveyancing practice and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
My flat in Bristol is up for sale and I have a purchaser. Will the conveyancing practitioner have to be required to be on the TSB conveyancing panel in order to deal with repayment of my mortgage?
Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the TSB conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their conditions fairly frequently currently.
My relative recommended that if I am buying in Bristol I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is usually included in the estimate for your Bristol conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Bristol around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Bristol Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Bristol Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Bristol.
I am a couple of weeks into a leasehold purchase having been referred to solicitors by the high street agent to perform conveyancing in Bristol. I am am starting to be frustrated with the quality of service. Could you help me find new solicitors?
They would need to be very bad to suggest changing them. Has your mortgage offer been sent? In the event that it has you must inform them of the replacement solicitor and get the offer are re-sent. Your conveyancer needs to be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid added expenses and complications. That should be your starting point. The search tool should assist you in finding a bank approved solicitor for your home move in Bristol
What can I do to find out who owns a property in Bristol?
Provided the premises is recorded at HM Land Registry, and you have enough details of the location of the premises, you will be able to obtain details from the HMLR of the registered owner for a a minimal charge.