I am selling my home in Chobham and the EA has just e-mailed to say that the buyers are changing their law firm. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only deal with property lawyers on their conveyancing panel. Why would a major lender only engage with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to select to handle their conveyancing in Chobham ?

Banks have always had an approved set of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as HSBC, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for decades.

Mortgage companies justify this action to a rise in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed as a smaller panel is easier to keep an eye on. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that 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.

Some advice if I may. My Chobham solicitor is informing me me that he is legally obliged toapply for Chobham conveyancing searches resulting from the fact thatthe firm are on the Nat Westsolicitor panel. Do I not have any options here?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your lawyer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Chobham conveyancing searches.

My stepmother pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Chobham there could be a number of restrictions preventing external changes to the property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Chobham which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to carry out external variations. Part of the conveyancing in Chobham should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I am aiming to move home in April. Does my conveyancing solicitor communicate with the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you put forward a removal company in Chobham. Conveyancing solicitor was found before I stumbled across your site.

On the day of completion you will need to pick up the house keys from your selling agent however this can only take place when the previous owners conveyancers inform the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be passed over. You should tell the removal company that they can start moving you in. We do not recommend a specific removal organisation but can help you choose a residential property solicitor in Chobham or a legal practice that specialises in conveyancing in Chobham.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in November 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Principality are being a right pain. The Chobham solicitor who is on the Principality conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Principality are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Principality have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Principality have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Principality may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I'm buying a new build house in Chobham with a loan from Birmingham Midshires. The developers would not reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not to tell my lawyer about the extras as it may impact my loan with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.

What does commercial conveyancing in Chobham cover?

Non domestic conveyancing in Chobham covers a broad range of services, given by qualified solicitors, relating to business premises. For instance, this type of conveyancing can cover the sale or purchase of freehold business premises or, more usually, the assignment of existing leases or the drafting of new leasing arrangements. Commercial conveyancing solicitors can also offer advice on the sale of business assets, commercial loans and the termination of leases.