My fiance and I are looking to purchase a home in Hammersmith and have appointed a Hammersmith conveyancing firm. Within the last couple of days our conveyancer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Aldermore have this morning contacted us to inform me that there is now an issue as our Hammersmith solicitor is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?

When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is normal for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Hammersmith lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it may delay matters as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Hammersmith. My lender is Chelsea Building Society

Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 21/11/2024, the requirements read as follows :

I have been told that property searches are a common reason for stalling in Hammersmith conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released findings of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure within the most frequent causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Searches are unlikely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Hammersmith.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Hammersmith prior to appointing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. The surveyor has said that some mortgage companies tend not issue a loan on a flying freehold property.

It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Hammersmith. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am contemplating instructing a web based property lawyer as opposed to a Hammersmith conveyancing practice. Am I making a mistake?

There are advantages of having the opportunity to visit a local Hammersmith conveyancing solicitor for example

• signing papers and and when necessary
• sometimes being able to see someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard conveyancing
• the ability to complain if matters are not going as expected

When analysing quotes, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent Hammersmith high street solicitors give an all-inclusive price. Often online companies seem to offer discounted prices, but have burried 'extras' in the fine print.