I am selling my flat in Brockley and the EA has just e-mailed to warn that the purchasers are changing their solicitor. The reason given is that the bank will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a leading lender only work with specific law firms rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Brockley ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have represented them for more than 15 years.

Banks blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to reveal 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. Plenty of firms 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 purchasers are not going to have any impact on this.

Do conveyancers request an advanced payment for conveyancing in Brockley?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Brockley your lawyer will request that you place them with funds to cover the search fees. Normally this is called for to cover the fees of the conveyancing searches. When the deposit is as part of the total price then this will be asked for immediately in advance of exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is due should be transferred a couple of days prior to the completion date.

Is there a search tool that I can utilise to find out if the solicitor conducting my conveyancing in Brockley is on the mortgage lender’sconveyancing panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Clydesdale thus paying £192.00 in further legal costs.

Please do make use of the find a lender approved solicitor tool on this site. Please choose the lender and type ‘Brockley’ or your preferred area and you will see numerous conveyancers based in Brockley or near you.

I am buying a new build flat in Brockley. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Brockley

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? 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.

Is there a distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Brockley?

Conveyancing - in Brockley or anywhere in England and Wales - is the process of legally transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It therefore includes the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you are buying and will help you discover the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you leverage for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the vendor to remedy the problems before you move in.