My partner and I are intent on purchasing an apartment in Harefield. My property lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company conveyancing list. Is it possible for me to retain my Harefield conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the lender approved list?

Various options include

• Complete the deal with your preferred Harefield solicitor but your mortgage company will need to instruct a conveyancer on their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges together with likely frustration.
• Choose a new conveyancing practitioner to act in the purchase, obviously checking they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Convince your solicitor to attempt to join the lender panel

What is the first thing I need to know concerning purchase conveyancing in Harefield?

You may not hear this from too many lawyers but conveyancing in Harefield and elsewhere in North London is an adversarial process. Put another way, when it comes to conveyancing there exists plenty of opportunity for friction between you and others involved in the legal transfer of property. For example, the seller, selling agent and on occasion a bank. Selecting a solicitor for your conveyancing in Harefield should not be taken lightly as your conveyancer is your adviser, and is the SOLE party in the legal process whose interest is to protect your legal interests and to keep you safe.

On occasion a third party with a vested interest will try and convince you that it is in your interests to do things their way. For instance, the estate agent may claim to be assisting by suggesting your conveyancer is wrong. Or your mortgage broker may tell you to do something that is contrary to your conveyancers guidance. You should always trust your lawyer above all other parties when it comes to the legal transfer of property.

We are hoping to buy a newly converted apartment in Harefield with a loan from Virgin Money.We use our Harefield conveyancing solicitor but Virgin Money says she’s not listed on their approved list of member firms. we are left little option but to use a Virgin Money panel firm or retain our preferred solicitor and pay for a Virgin Money panel lawyer to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The home loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, one of which will be that conveyancers will be on the Virgin Money approved list. Until recently, most mortgage companies had large numbers of solicitors on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Virgin Money

We are purchasing a property in Harefield. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we have to put funds into their account. What is the protection we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

We are due to move house in February. Does my conveyancing solicitor communicate with the removal company on the day of completion. Incidentally, can you put forward a removal company in Harefield. Conveyancing lawyer was found prior to coming across your site.

On the afternoon of completion you will need to pick up the keys from the property agent but this can only happen after the previous owners lawyers inform the agent that the monies to complete are in and the keys can be passed over. Subsequently you should advise the removal men that you are ready to move in. We are not in a position to recommend a specific removal company but can assist you in locating a residential property solicitor in Harefield or a lawyer with expertise in conveyancing in Harefield.

Is it the case that all Harefield CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Nottingham conveyancing list of approved firms?

It is true that some lenders now make use of CQS as the kick off point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

Will commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that may impact a commercial site in Harefield?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Harefield will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers invest in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Harefield. The report provides definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Harefield.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Harefield it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately can cause delays to Harefield commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for residential conveyancing in Harefield.