My partner and I are hoping to buy a home in Cambridge Heath and are in fact using a Cambridge Heath conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our property lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with a view to exchanging next week. The Mortgage Works have this evening contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Cambridge Heath solicitor is not on their approved list of lawyers. Is this a problem?

Where you are buying a property requiring a mortgage it is standard for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. 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 solicitor 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 don't have to instruct a firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Cambridge Heath lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

After researching online forums for an affordable lawyer in Cambridge Heath, many say that I should use a CQS assured lawyer. What is CQS?

The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised quality mark for legal experts in home ownership transfers, trusted by some of the UK's biggest banks. Four years ago the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML). The scheme does not cover licenced conveyancers. Cambridge Heath is one of the many areas of the UK where there are Accredited solicitors.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build flat in Cambridge Heath. Conveyancing is a frightening process 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.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Cambridge Heath

The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Please supply a car parking plan. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

Due to the advice of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Cambridge Heath before retaining conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor has said that some banks will not grant a mortgage on a flying freehold home.

It varies from the lender to lender. Santander has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to telephone us we can check with the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Cambridge Heath. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Cambridge Heath to see if the conveyancing costs will increase in light of this.

We are 18 days into a freehold purchase having been referred to conveyancers by the local agent to perform conveyancing in Cambridge Heath. I am am very disappointed with the level of service. Could you help me find new lawyers?

They would need to be really poor to suggest diss instructing them. Has the mortgage been issued? In the event that it has you need to make them aware of the new solicitor and ensure the mortgage documents are re-issued. Your conveyancer should be on the banks panel to avoid escalating costs and complications. That should be your first question of the new lawyers. Our find a solicitor tool will help you find a bank approved conveyancer for your home move in Cambridge Heath