I am nearing exchange of contracts for my home in Kington and the EA has just telephoned to advise that the buyers are swapping conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading mortgage company only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Kington ?

Mortgage companies have always had an approved set of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – 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. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. The buyers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

There are numerous conveyancing solicitors in Kington but how do I know who's good?

Do not opt for the cheapest Kington conveyancing fees. You really do get what you pay for when it comes to property lawyers. A cheap quote may mean that the conveyancing solicitor is handling a lot of jobs at one time and you won’t get the quality of service and the attention that you need. It is, however, wise to use a conveyancer who has a fixed fee on a no sale, no fee basis. This way, you go into the conveyancing with your eyes wide open.

I happen to be the only recipient of my late mum's will and I have everything in my name alone, including the my former home in Kington. The Kington property was put into my name in February. I now wish to sell up. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders 6 month 'rule', meaning my property ownership could be considered the same way as though I had purchased the property in February. Is the property unsalable for six months?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook obliges conveyancers to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be affected by that. Some lenders would take a pragmatic view as this provision principally exists to pick up on the purchase and immediately sell or the flipping of property.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with UBS. Kington conveyancing practitioners have been instructed. What is the average time that one could expect to receive a mortgage offer from UBS?

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

Various internet forums that I have come across warn that are the number one cause of hinderance in Kington conveyancing transactions. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) released conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the top 10 causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Searches are not likely to be the root cause of holding up conveyancing in Kington.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Kington?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Kington. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

How do I use the search app to get a quote from a conveyancing solicitor in Kington on the panel for my mortgage?

Step one is to select a lender such as Accord Mortgages Ltd, Virgin Money or Alliance & Leicester then type in your location for instance Kington. Conveyancing practices in Kington and further afield will then be shown.