I am selling my maisonette in Gower and the estate agent has just telephoned to advise that the buyers are switching law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with property lawyers on their approved list. On what basis would a leading mortgage company only engage with certain solicitors rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Gower ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the last few years big names such as Yorkshire Building Society, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 15 years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud as the reason for the pruning – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to oversee. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is hearing daily from firms that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Can the conveyancing practitioners that are recommend handle auction conveyancing in Gower?

We know of a number of auction practitioners we can connect you with those specialising in auction conveyancing. Gower is just one of hundreds of areas of in which our lawyers have a presence.

Me and my brother own a semi-detached Georgian house in Gower. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Leeds Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. Is it worth asking Leeds Building Society to clarify?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Gower and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Gower with a mortgage from Nottingham Building Society. The builders would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The house builders rep advised me not to tell my solicitor about this deal as it may affect my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.

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.

In my capacity as executor for the estate of my uncle I am disposing of a residence in Neath but reside in Gower. My conveyancer (who is 250 miles from merequires that I execute a statutory declaration before completion. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Gower to attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally any notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are Gower based