I am selling my apartment in Old Woking and the EA has just e-mailed to warn that the purchasers are appointing a new solicitor. I am told that this is due to the fact that the mortgage company will only deal with solicitors on their conveyancing panel. Why would a big named mortgage company only work with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Old Woking ?

Lenders have always had panels of law firms they are willing to work with, but in recent years big names such as Lloyds Banking Group, have considered and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for decades.

Banks blame a rise in fraud by way of justification for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to monitor. No lender will say how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Plenty of firms 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 purchasers are unlikely to have any impact on this.

The Old Woking conveyancing firm that just started acting on my house acquisition in Old Woking have without warning shut down. I only went with them because I needed a lawyer on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel and my preferred Old Woking lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take one hundred and fifty pounds for searches. What are my options?

Assuming that you have an Estate Agent in the equation then let them know straight away 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 Clydesdale 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 solicitors may be able to assist.

I know that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when purchasing a house in Old Woking? or I am told that there is an ancient law that means some house owners residing in a parish church boundary may be liable to pay for repairs towards the chancel in proximity to the church. Is this applicable for conveyancing in Old Woking?

Unless a prior purchase of the premises completed after 12 October 2013 you may take it that conveyancing practitioners carrying out conveyancing in Old Woking to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.

I am using a search engine for the term cheap conveyancing in Old Woking it shows results of many property lawyersin the area. How do I determine which is the right property lawyer for purchase transaction?

The best way of seeking the right conveyancer is through a personal referral, so ask friends and those you trust who have bought a property in Old Woking or the reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Old Woking vary, so it's advisable to secure a minimum of four fee calculations from different conveyancers. Make sure that you know what costs in the quote includes.

What type of property do your Old Woking conveyancing estimates relate to?

Our conveyancing quotes are only appropriate to standard domestic homes in England & Wales. If you have any different needs for example industrial or agricultural property or commercial conveyancing in Old Woking do contact us to discuss this further .