I do hope you can help me. My East Coker solicitor is advising me that he is legally obliged toapply for East Coker conveyancing searches asthe firm are on the Nat Westsolicitor panel. Do I not have any say here?

You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with a lender your conveyancing practitioner has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your solicitor would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook requirements . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out East Coker conveyancing searches.

Should lawyers request money on account for conveyancing in East Coker?

If you are buying a property in East Coker your solicitor will request that you put them with funds to cover the search fees. Normally this is called for to cover the fees of the conveyancing searches. If any deposit is as part of the purchase price then this will be needed shortly ahead of contracts are exchanged. Any further balance that is due should be sent to your lawyer shortly before completion.

In reading moneysavingexpert.com for a recommended lawyer in East Coker, many post that I must use a CQS kitemarked solicitor. Can you explain what CQS is?

The Law Society's Conveyancing Quality Scheme is the recognised kitemark for legal experts in buying or selling property, trusted by some of the UK's leading banks. In 2011-12 the Conveyancing Quality Scheme was officially recognised by the Legal Ombudsman. CQS is not a scheme offered by the Council of Licensed Conveyancing. East Coker is one of the numerous areas in England and Wales where there are CQS lawyers.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in East Coker?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in East Coker. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

My wife and I have chosen a East Coker conveyancing solicitor for our house purchase (novice purchasers) and have spotted in the Ts and Cs that they are not governed by the FCA. Need I be worried or is that usually the case with conveyancing practitioner?

We can't see why they should be. Most property lawyer don't lend money. You should check that they are governed by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who set specific obligations covering funds held by them.