AssumingI was to buy a straightforward propertyin Stanley for cash and have no survey and no local authority searches how much should I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Stanley?

Any savings you would achieve would be limited to the Stanley conveyancing searches. Your property lawyer is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, communicating with your vendors solicitor, stamp duty submission, register the property etc. You might save a bit for them not needing to register a charge but it won't be a lot.

We're in Stanley, First time buyers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is Nationwide , and our lawyer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

We are downsizing from our home in Stanley and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed land that was not decontaminated. Any local conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers used a factory type conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Stanley. Having lived in Stanley for 5 years we know of no issue. Do we get in touch with our local Authority to seek clarification that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. What do they say? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

I am buying a new build flat in Stanley. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Stanley

Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Please supply a car parking plan. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

My friend mentioned that before selecting a conveyancing lawyer they need approved by your mortgage company. It happens to be my first house move but I have an AIP with Santander and I already have a high street conveyancing lawyer in Stanley at the ready. Does Birmingham Midhshires insist on an approved lawyer to be instructed? If so, where can I find that list for my conveyancing in Stanley?

You should use a solicitor that is on the Birmingham Midhshires panel. Simply call your chosen Stanley conveyancing solicitor to check if they are on the Birmingham Midhshires panel. If they are not on the panel you have numerous options available to you here:

• Complete the purchase with your chosen Stanley solicitor but Birmingham Midhshires will need to retain a property lawyer on their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges and probable interruption.
• Choose a fresh lawyer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the Birmingham Midhshires conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to apply to join the bank panel.