My husband and I are looking to buy a property in Strawberry Hill and are in fact using a Strawberry Hill conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our solicitor has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. Platform Home Loans Ltd have this evening contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Strawberry Hill lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. Please explain?

When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is normal for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the mortgage company. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your solicitor should contact your bank and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You don't have to instruct a firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Strawberry Hill lawyers, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.

I am under pressure from the seller of a property in Strawberry Hill to sign contracts within four weeks. What can be done to accelerate the conveyancing process?

In a situation where you are under a tight deadline to sign contracts we would recommend that your conveyancer is familiar with the area as they will have local relationships and insight. It is possible that they may have transacted otherhomes in the same street. You would be best advised to use a Strawberry Hill conveyancing solicitor. Second, be sure that the lawyer is on the member panel. It is claimed that just under twenty per cent of Strawberry Hill conveyancing deals are suspended or jeopardised after discovering a buyer’s solicitor was not on their banks list of approved solicitors. This can often result in the transaction being frustrated by almost three weeks. It is said that this issue impacts in the region of one hundred thousand home moves annually. Many Strawberry Hill conveyancing practices can not represent certain lenders so do check at the outset.

I have been told that property searches are the main reason for stalling in Strawberry Hill house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published findings of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not figure amongst the top 10 causes of delays during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are not likely to feature in any holding up conveyancing in Strawberry Hill.

I am buying a new build apartment in Strawberry Hill. Conveyancing is a frightening process 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 legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Strawberry Hill

Please supply a car parking plan. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Please confirm the Lease plans are surveyor prepared. 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.

I am selling my home. My previous conveyancers has retired. It would be helpful to have a recommendation of a conveyancing firm. Im based in Strawberry Hill if that makes things easier.

You should use our search tool to help you find a solicitor for your conveyancing in Strawberry Hill. We have connected thousands of home buyers and sellers with lender approved solicitors to ensure that the legalities of their house move runs smoothly.