Recently contacted my conveyancing solicitor in Freezywater who acted for me 18 months ago asking for a conveyancing quote based on an identical type of home move (a leasehold premises and a freehold property) of similar values with a mortgage from Platform Home Loans Ltd. I am now being quoted double. Am I right to be tempted to shop around for a cheaper online conveyancer?

The costs illustration is slightly on the high side. If you are happy to invest time comparing quotes you could shave off some of the cost by as much as a hundred pounds. On the other hand, assuming were satisfied with the legal work the firm offered you couldcome to rue choosing an an untested conveyancer. Remember to ensure that the conveyancer can act for Platform Home Loans Ltd. You can use our search tool to locate a Freezywater conveyancing firm on the Platform Home Loans Ltd approved list of lawyers, which can often include conveyancing solicitors in Freezywater.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a first time buyer of a ground floor flat in Freezywater. Do I pick up the keys to the premises on the completion date from my conveyancer? If this is the case, I will use a local conveyancing solicitor in Freezywater?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Conveyancing lawyers for you will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be called to collect the keys from the Estate Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

We had chosen solicitors located in Freezywater on the Clydesdale solicitor panel. They have just invoiced me a further fee for the legal aspects of the Clydesdale mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Clydesdale?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your conveyancing practitioner can charge a fee for this. This charge is not dictated by Clydesdale but by your Freezywater solicitor. Plenty of firms on the Clydesdale panel will charge ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

My partner and I have organised a further advance on our home loan from Principality as we want to carry out improvements to our house in Freezywater. Are we obliged to choose a bricks and mortar Freezywater solicitor on the Principality conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Principality would not normally instruct firms on their approved list of lawyers to handle the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Principality list.

A friend advised me that if I am buying in Freezywater I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is sometimes included in the estimate for your Freezywater conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Freezywater around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Freezywater.

Do I need to be concerned that estate agents that I am dealing with are recommending a web based conveyancing firm rather than a High Street Freezywater conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of service providers, often suggestions from family and friends can be very helpful. But there are numerous parties with a keen interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks may put forward lawyers to appoint. Sometimes the conveyancers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but occasionally there may be a commercial relationship behind the endorsement. You are at liberty to appoint your own lawyer. Don't forget that the majority of lenders have an approved list of solicitors you must use for the lender related work in your house move.

The mortgage broker has recommended their property lawyer for my conveyancing in Freezywater - won’t it be advisable to just instruct them?

It is worth checking if the selling agent is recommending a property lawyer or introducing to a conveyancing practitioner. There are plenty of Freezywater estate agents who recommend two or three Freezywater conveyancing firms purely based on those lawyers offering a great service.