When it comes to lenders such as Lloyds, do Lower Earley lawyers have to pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to register on their panel, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Lower Earley solicitor - who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Aldermore will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Aldermore will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your property lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Lower Earley postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Aldermore, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Lower Earley.

Principality have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a flat in Lower Earley has been agreed to, what happens next?

The property agent will want to be informed of your lawyer's details (ensure that the solicitors are on the lender’s panel). Telephone Principality or the broker and complete any relevant paperwork. Principality will appoint a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or vendor to schedule an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately ten days for the mortgage offer to be issued. Principality will issue the offer to you and your conveyancing practitioners. The legal work will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Lower Earley.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal proposed roadworks that may affect a commercial site in Lower Earley?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Lower Earley will carry out a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers expend in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Lower Earley. The search result sets out definitive data 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 Lower Earley.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Lower Earley it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could result in delays to Lower Earley commercial conveyancing deals as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for domestic conveyancing in Lower Earley.

I have recentlydiscovered that Action Conveyancing have closed. They carried out my conveyancing in Lower Earley for a purchase of a freehold house 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?

The quickest method to see if the property is in your name, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Lower Earley conveyancing specialists.

I was recommended by three or four local selling agents in Lower Earley to get a quote from a solicitor using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to market your lawyers rather than a competitor’s?

We don’t make any referral fee for sending work in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

Am I best advised to appoint a Lower Earley conveyancing lawyer in close proximity to the house I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can deal with the legal work but they are based over three hundred kilometers drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Lower Earley conveyancing firm is that you can attend the office to sign documents, hand in your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Lower Earley know how is a bonus. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who used your friend and in the main were happy that should trump using an unfamiliar Lower Earley conveyancing solicitor just because they are Lower Earley based.