Some advice if I may. My Exmoor conveyancer is advising me that he is legally obliged toconduct Exmoor conveyancing searches stemming from the fact thatthe firm are on the Santanderapproved lawyer panel. Is this really necessary?

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 lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Exmoor conveyancing searches.

Are the Exmoor conveyancing solicitors identified as being on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel, together with their details provided by Clydesdale?

Exmoor conveyancing firms themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from Clydesdale directly.

Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may affect a commercial estate in Exmoor?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Exmoor will carry out a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Exmoor. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Exmoor.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Exmoor it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately may cause delays to Exmoor commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Exmoor.

I used Arc property Solicitors several years past for my conveyancing in Exmoor. I now require my file but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Exmoor of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Exmoor ahead of retaining lawyers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. My surveyor has said that some banks may refuse to grant a loan on such a home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you contact us we can look into this further via the relevant lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Exmoor. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.