My partner and I are intent on purchasing property in Cottenham Park. My lawyer has never been on on the lender approved panel. Is it possible for me to appoint my Cottenham Park conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender approved list?

Your options include

• Carry on with your existing Cottenham Park property lawyer but your lender will need to instruct a solicitor on their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional cost and probable frustration.
• Appoint a fresh property lawyer to act in the purchase, making sure they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Appeal to your property lawyer to attempt to join the mortgage company panel

All was ready to move into my new home in Cottenham Park next Tuesday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the lender. What risks does the bank expect the insurance to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 instructions. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Cottenham Park.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, chain free conveyancing. Cottenham Park is where the house is located. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Cottenham Park are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Cottenham Park you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Cottenham Park may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Is it possible to transfer to a new solicitor as I need to instruct a firm on the Britannia conveyancing list. I had appointed a family conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham Park round the corner but she is not approved by Britannia

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Cottenham Park on the Britannia panel. Please note that the property lawyers that we on the directory do not pay us a referral fee if you instruct them and are authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Cottenham Park. Using search facility on this website, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Cottenham Park.

What are my options where I am unhappy with the lawyer who undertook my conveyancing in Cottenham Park?

We live in an imperfect world, and unfortunately occasionally things do go wrong. Nevertheless there is recourse if you were not happy with your conveyancing in Cottenham Park. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a lawyer to their regulator. If you remain unhappy you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.