I plan on acquiring a flat in Wootton Bridge. My lawyer is not on the bank conveyancing list. Can I still use my Wootton Bridge conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the mortgage company list of approved lawyers?

Various options include

• Carry on with your chosen Wootton Bridge conveyancer but your lender will undoubtedly retain a lawyer from their conveyancing panel. This will result in additional charges together with potential delay.
• Choose a new property lawyer to conduct the conveyancing, making sure they are on the bank conveyancing panel.
• Appeal to your conveyancing practitioner to apply to join the mortgage company panel

My wife and I are only a couple days away from an exchange on a flat in Wootton Bridge and my mum and dad have transferred the 10% deposit to my lawyer. I am now advised that as the deposit has been received from someone other than me my conveyancer needs to disclose this to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the mortgage company he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I disclosed to the mortgage company regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really necessary for him to raise this?

The property lawyer is duty bound to check with the bank to ensure that they understand that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own resources. The solicitor can only report this to your mortgage company if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

My colleague advised me that if I am buying in Wootton Bridge I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Wootton Bridge conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Wootton Bridge around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Wootton Bridge Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Wootton Bridge Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Wootton Bridge.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Wootton Bridge is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Wootton Bridge are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Wootton Bridge you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Wootton Bridge may ascertain 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 premises.

Is it best to appoint a Wootton Bridge conveyancing practitioner who is local to the property I am purchasing? An old friend can carry out the conveyancing but his firm is located 200miles drive away.

The benefit of a high street Wootton Bridge conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, present your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Wootton Bridge know how is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and on the whole were happy that must outweigh using an unknown Wootton Bridge conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being local.