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Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in the past few years big names such as HSBC, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have worked with them for more than 25 years.

Lenders point to the increase in fraud by way of justification for the cull – criteria have been tightened and a smaller panel should be easier to keep an eye on. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society says it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels, or have other concerns about them. Some do not even realise they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyer’s case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.

Your lawyer is obliged to check with Aldermore Bank to make sure that they are aware that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to Aldermore Bank if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

Unfortunately it’s not apparent why you need a Aldermore Bank panel solicitor but in any event, if you can not find one on our search tool you will need to speak directly to Aldermore Bank to find out which solicitors in Aldermore Bank are on their panel. If you do find such a firm not listed please direct them to our site to list. After all the cost is only one £1 a month

Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the Aldermore Bank 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 should be in a position to help

If you have finished paying off your Aldermore Bank mortgage they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the Aldermore Bank mortgage from the register. Aldermore Bank,and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage: but are not moving to another property where the Aldermore Bank has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and the Aldermore Bank has instructed the Land Registry to do so The Land Registry will send you a letter confirming that your Aldermore Bank mortgage has been paid off.

Your original mortgage agreement with Aldermore Bank will provide that you need their approval in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Aldermore Bank’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Aldermore Bank directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Aldermore Bank conveyancing panel firm.

Your lawyer has to follow the CML Handbook Part 2 requirements for Aldermore Bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that Aldermore Bank will go ahead your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask Aldermore Bank to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the remaining number of years left on the lease.