I am nearing exchange of contracts for my house in Great Dunmow and the estate agent has just text me to advise that the buyers are swapping law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. On what basis would a major lender only work with specific solicitors rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Great Dunmow ?

Mortgage companies have always had panels of law firms they are content to work with, but in the last few years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.

Lending institutions point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been narrowed 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 says 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. Your buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Our grandson is purchasing a new build apartment in Great Dunmow with a mortgage from Principality. His lawyer has said that there is a delay in receiving the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Principality conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Principality conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

We are buying a property in Great Dunmow. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to send our life savings into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our monies?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I am assisting my sister sell her house in Great Dunmow. Will the solicitor arrange an energy performance certificate or do I organise this?

After the abolition of Home Packs, energy assessments remained a compulsory element of selling a house. An energy performance certificate should be to hand prior to the property being put on the market. This is not as aspect of the sale process that lawyers normally organise. Where you are instructing a Great Dunmow conveyancing solicitor they might help arrange energy assessments given their contacts with long established local providers

We have agreed to purchase a house in Great Dunmow. An unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Co-operative have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

Given that your lender is Co-operative your lawyer must follow the conveyancing requirements outlined in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Co-operative. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook sets out minimum provisions for solar panel roof-space leases, and conveyancing practitioners are required to report to Co-operative where a lease fails to satisfy these conditions. The specifications relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Great Dunmow.

Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that may impact a commercial property in Great Dunmow?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Great Dunmow will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers spend in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Great Dunmow. 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 Great Dunmow.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Great Dunmow it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Great Dunmow commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future intentions for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Great Dunmow.

My company is looking to lease a unit on the high street. Can you recommend lawyers offering no-move-no costs for non-domestic conveyancing in Great Dunmow for below £1,200?

We are happy to recommend firms who host a wealth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Great Dunmow, including the disposal and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. If you are hoping to buy or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a whole business we can put you in touch with the right solicitor. As for the charges this will depend on the structure and terms of the deal. Let us have your contact information or phone so as to enable us to supply you with comprehensive commercial conveyancing calculation.