I am in the process of selling my house in Llanbrynmair and the EA has just called to say that the buyers are switching conveyancer. The reason given is that the mortgage company will only deal 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 appoint to handle their conveyancing in Llanbrynmair ?

Banks have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for 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 acted for them for over 25 years.

Mortgage companies blame a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices 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. Your buyers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

I am acquiring a house without a mortgage in Llanbrynmair. I have been living for the last twelve years in Llanbrynmair. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the area and road very well should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a home loan, then the vast majority of the Llanbrynmair conveyancing searches are at your discretion. Your conveyancer will ’encourage you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she has a professional duty to do this. One thing to consider; if you are going to sell the house at a future date, it could be of relevance to your future buyer what the searches reveal. On occasion premises with functional issues can still throw up unfavourable search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Llanbrynmair should be able to give you some sensible advice here.

I used Wolstenholmes a few years past for my conveyancing in Llanbrynmair. I now require my papers but the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Llanbrynmair of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously hired, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

My brother has suggested that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Llanbrynmair. Do I follow his advice?

No doubt it’s preferable to find a conveyancing lawyer is to get feedback from friends or family who have previously instructed the solicitor you're considering.

Finally our conveyancing in Llanbrynmair is set to complete next Friday, however the person I am buying off wishes to vacate 24 hours later at at 2pm. Do I agree to this?

In situations where you need a mortgage then your solicitor will insist that you have vacant possession on Friday - the mortgage company will compel it.