My partner and I are planning to purchase a house in Broxbourne and are in fact using a Broxbourne conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our conveyancer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Leeds Building Society have this morning contacted us to advise us that there is now an issue as our Broxbourne lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

If you are buying a property needing a mortgage it is usual for the purchasers' solicitors to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Accreditation Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Broxbourne lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.

I am acquiring a house for cash in Broxbourne. I have been living for the previous dozen years in Broxbourne. Conveyancing searches are a lot of money. As I have knowledge of the area and road intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then almost all of the Broxbourne conveyancing searches are at your discretion. Your solicitor will ’encourage you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but she is duty bound to take that path of guidance. One thing to consider; if you are going to dispose of the house at a future date, it will likely be be of relevance to your future buyer what the searches reveal. On occasion houses with day to day issues can still throw up negative search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Broxbourne will provide you some sensible advice concerning this.

We are due to move house in May. Does my conveyancing solicitor communicate with the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you recommend a removal company in Broxbourne. Conveyancing firm was chosen before I stumbled across your page.

On the afternoon of completion you will need to pick up the keys from the property agent but this should only take place once the previous owners solicitors confirm to the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be passed over. You will need to tell the removal men that they can start moving you in. We do not suggest a specific removal company but can help you locate a conveyancing in Broxbourne or a legal practice with expertise in conveyancing in Broxbourne.

We were going to get a DIP from HSBC this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do HSBC recommend any Broxbourne solicitors on the HSBC conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

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

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Broxbourne. I have a mortgage offer with Yorkshire BS. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.

Will our lawyer be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Broxbourne.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for lawyers dealing with homes in Broxbourne. There are those who acquire a house in Broxbourne, fully aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or dispose of the property. There are steps that can be taken as part of the conveyancing process to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, but there are a number of checks that may be carried out by the purchaser or on a buyer’s behalf which will give them a better appreciation of the risks in Broxbourne. The standard information supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual inquiry of the owner to determine whether the property has suffered from flooding. In the event that the premises has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a buyer may bring a compensation claim as a result of such an misleading answer. The purchaser’s conveyancers should also order an enviro search. This should indicate whether there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be carried out.

I am a couple of weeks into a leasehold purchase having been directed to solicitors by the selling agent to do our conveyancing in Broxbourne. I am am extremely frustrated with the level of service. Can you help me find new lawyers?

They would have to be very bad in order to consider diss instructing them. Has your mortgage offer been generated? If so you will need to advise them of the replacement conveyancer and get the loan are issued to the new lawyers. Your solicitor ideally needs to be on the lenders panel to avoid added expenses and complications. So that should be your first question of the new solicitors. The search tool should assist you in finding a bank approved conveyancer for your conveyancing in Broxbourne