I am 4 weeks into the sale of my maisonette in Sturminster Newton and the estate agent has just text me to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new conveyancer. The reason given is that the lender will only deal with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a leading lender only work with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to choose to handle their conveyancing in Sturminster Newton ?

Lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for over 25 years.

Banks point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been stiffened 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 claims that it is hearing daily from firms 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. The buyers are not going to have any impact on this.

My home in Sturminster Newton is up for sale and I have accepted an offer. Does the lawyer need to be on the HSBC conveyancing panel in order to deal with the discharge of my mortgage?

Ordinarily, even if your lawyer is not on the HSBC conveyancing panel they can still act for you on your sale. It might be that the lender will not release the original deeds (if applicable and increasingly irrelevant) until after the mortgage is paid off. You should speak to your lawyer directly before you start the process though to ensure that there is no problem as lenders are changing their specifications fairly frequently in recent years.

I need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor for some conveyancing in Sturminster Newton. I happened to chance upon a web site which appears to be the perfect offering If there is a chance to get all the legals done via email that would be ideal. Do I need to be concerned? What are the potential pitfalls?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Sturminster Newton conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Sturminster Newton conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Sturminster Newton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions might be of use:

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not? How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Sturminster Newton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

This information is helpful as a) areas may cause problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will wish to have all the details What restrictions exist in the Sturminster Newton Lease? How much is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the apartment?

We are about to buying a property in Sturminster Newton. Conveyancing is not complete but we wish to keep the amount we are are buying for private from the likes of Nestoria. How could this be done?

HMLR are legally obliged to reveal price sold information on a register of the title for residential properties countrywide which includes properties in Sturminster Newton. The Title Register is an open document, so HM Land Registry would be breaking the law if they failed to grant access to the register.

In essence you can make a request of HM Land Registry to hide the amount paid data but the answer would be in the negative.