I am selling my ground floor flat in Redbridge and the estate agent has just text me to advise that the buyers are swapping conveyancer. The excuse is that the lender will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a leading lender only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Redbridge ?

UK lenders have always had panels of law firms that can act for them, but in the last few 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 many years.

Mortgage companies point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. Banks tend not to reveal 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. The purchasers are not going to have any sway in the decision.

Completed the sale of my flat in Redbridge last January yet the purchaser is calling daily complaining that his conveyancer is waiting to hear from mysolicitor. What should my lawyer have done now that I have sold?

After completion of your house sale your solicitor is duty bound to forward the transfer deeds and all supplemental paperwork to the buyer’s conveyancer. Depending on the transaction, your lawyer must also send confirmation that the mortgage has been discharged to the buyers solicitors. There is unlikely to be post completion tasks unique to conveyancing in Redbridge.

I am planning to acquire a flat and need a conveyancing solicitor in Redbridge who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing. Can you recommend a local conveyancing firm?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for Clydesdale in certain locations such as Redbridge. We dont recommend any particular firm.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Redbridge prior to appointing solicitors. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor has said that some banks may refuse to grant a mortgage on this type of house.

It varies from the lender to lender. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Nationwide. If you call us we can investigate further with 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 Redbridge. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Redbridge especially if they are familiar with such properties in Redbridge.

There are a lot of properties in Redbridge on private roads. I am buying such a house. Are there any benefits to buying a property on a private road?

Redbridge conveyancing firms are used to dealing propertieson private. Your lawyer should investigate Land Registry data to identify any rights or liabilities. In many cases there is a management company (wholly owned by residents) that owners make annual payments to maintain the road. If one exists, the road will likely be maintained and look better than publicly owned.