Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Midsomer Norton. Can you please clarify why all Midsomer Norton solicitors aren't automatically on all mortgage company panels?

Banks normally restrict either the type or volume of conveyancing firms on their approved list of lawyers. A common example of such restriction(s) being that a organisation is required to have two or more partners. As well as restricting the nature of firm, some banks for instance HSBC made a decision to restrict the number of firms they use to represent them. You should note that building societies have no responsibility for the standard of conveyancing supplied by any Midsomer Norton lawyer on their approved list. Increases in mortgage fraud was the key driver in the culling of solicitor panels a few years ago even though there are contrary views concerning the extent of solicitor involvement in some of that fraud. Statistics published by HM Land Registry indicates that thousands of conveyancing practices only transact one or two conveyances a year. Those advocating conveyancing panel pruning ask why conveyancing firms deserve the right to be listed on a bank panel when it is apparent that conveyancing is not their speciality?

The Midsomer Norton conveyancing solicitors that I appointed last week on my house acquisition in Midsomer Norton have without warning shut down. I only went with them because I had to have a solicitor on the Skipton conveyancing panel and my previous Midsomer Norton lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What do I do now?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Skipton conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to help.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Midsomer Norton with a loan from Clydesdale. The developers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not disclose to my solicitor about the side-deal as it would adversely affect my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Midsomer Norton is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Midsomer Norton are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Midsomer Norton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Midsomer Norton may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my business property in Midsomer Norton and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to affords a safeguard to business tenants, granting the right to make a request to court for a continuation of occupancy when the lease comes to an end. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act to your advantage and handle your commercial conveyancing in Midsomer Norton