I am nearing exchange of contracts for my flat in Rotherham and the estate agent has just e-mailed to say that the purchasers are switching conveyancer. The excuse is that the mortgage company will only work with solicitors on their approved list. On what basis would a major mortgage company only deal with certain lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint for their conveyancing in Rotherham ?

UK lenders have always had an approved set of law firms that can represent them, 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 represented them for many years.

Mortgage companies justify this action to a rise 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. 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. Your buyers are not going to have any impact on this.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Rotherham? What am I being asked for?

Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules require solicitors and licensed conveyancers to check the ID of the potential client they are dealing with before they can accept their conveyancing retainer. The Terms and Conditions that you are required to sign will no doubt stipulate this. Your lender will also require certain documents to be checked. If you are unwilling to provide ID verification documents, your solicitor will not be able to take you on as a client.

My friend advised me that if I am purchasing in Rotherham I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Rotherham conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Rotherham around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Rotherham Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Rotherham Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Rotherham.

I have just started marketing my ground floor apartment in Rotherham. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

It best that you discharge the invoice as normal given that all rents and service invoices will be allotted as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the purchaser for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

Rotherham Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

You will want to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the building as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters like the upkeep of the common parts. Ask prospective neighbours if they are happy with their management. In conclusion, be sure you know the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the relevant party and specifically what it includes. Best to be warned if window replacement or some other major work is anticipated to be shared between the tenants and will materially increase the the service costs or necessitate a specific invoice. The answer will be important as a) areas may cause problems for the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details

Your search tool is useful but there are many lawyers listed near Rotherham being on the bank conveyancing panel. Can you recommend a specific firm on the bank approved panel?

We do not recommend specific Rotherham firms as the right Rotherham conveyancing firm for you depends on where your priorities lie. For example you may require a local firm with Rotherham knowledge or you might be looking for the low cost conveyancing. We recommend that you speak to 3 or 4 lawyers listed before you make your choice..