I had intended to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Fowey for our house purchase. Our broker has since notified us that our bank National Westminster Bank won't deal with them. Why is this not regarded as unfair competition?

Mortgage Companies on the whole restrict either the type or the number of conveyancing firms on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such criteria being that a firm must have two or more partners. As well as restricting the profile of firm, some have decided to limit the number of firms they use to act for them. You should note that National Westminster Bank have no responsibility for the quality of advice provided by any member of National Westminster Bank Conveyancer Panel. Mortgage fraud was a key driver in the reduction of solicitor panels since 2008 even though there remains differing views about the level of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics from the Land Registry indicate that plenty of law firms, including some in or near Fowey only carry out a couple conveyances a year.

I am assisting my niece sell her house in Fowey. Does the conveyancer arrange the EPC or should I organise this?

Following the demise of HIPs, EPC’s was left as a required element of moving house. An energy assessment must be commissioned before the property is advertised. This is not something that solicitors ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Fowey conveyancing lawyer they might be willing to arrange EPC’s due to their contacts with reputable local assessors

We previously chose conveyancing lawyers based in Fowey on the Nationwide solicitor approved list. They are now charging me a separate fee for dealing with the Nationwide mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee set by Nationwide?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancer may charge a fee for this. The fee is not set by Nationwide but by your Fowey solicitor. Numerous firms on the Nationwide panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nationwide. Fowey conveyancing lawyers are chosen. How long does it take for Nationwide to send the offer to the lawyer?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Nationwide conducted the valuation? Have you advised Nationwide as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

Do I need to pay for insurance to address the risk of chancel repairs when buying a house in Fowey?

Unless a prior acquisition of the premises completed post 12 October 2013 you could assume that conveyancing practitioners handling conveyancing in Fowey to remain encouraging a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.

I am purchasing my first flat in Fowey benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about this deal as it could affect my loan with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

My husband and I are 14 days into a freehold purchase having been directed to a firm by the local agent to handle our conveyancing in Fowey. I am not happy. Can you help me find new lawyers?

They would need to be really poor to suggest replacing them. Has your mortgage offer been issued? In the event that it has you will need to advise them of the new contact details and ensure the loan are issued to the new lawyers. Your solicitor ideally should be on the lenders approved list to avoid supplemental expenses and complications. So that should be your starting point. Our find a solicitor tool will help you find a lender approved conveyancer for your home move in Fowey