My partner and I are looking to buy a home in Harmondsworth and are in fact using a Harmondsworth conveyancing practice. Within the past 48 hours our lawyer has forwarded the sale agreement to be signed with a detailed report with the expectation that exchange is imminent. Norwich and Peterborough Building Society have this afternoon contacted us to advise us that they have now hit a problem as our Harmondsworth conveyancer is not on their approved list of lawyers. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with mortgage finance it is usual for the purchasers' lawyers to also act for the purchaser's lender. In order to act for a bank or building society a law firm has to be on that lender's conveyancing panel. An application has to be made by the law firm to the lender to become a member of the lender's panel and there are increasingly strict criteria which the firm has to satisfy and indeed some lenders now require their panel members to be part of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme. Your property lawyer should contact your mortgage company and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own solicitors to act. You are not legally obliged to appoint a law firm on the lender’s conveyancing panel and you may continue to use your own Harmondsworth solicitors, in which case it will likely add costs, and it will likely delay the transaction as you have another set of people involved.
All was ready to move into my new home in Harmondsworth next Thursday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the mortgage company. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. These requirements are not specific to conveyancing in Harmondsworth.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Harmondsworth. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 2/5/2026, the requirements read as follows :
I used Stirling Law a few years ago for my conveyancing in Harmondsworth. Now, I need my files but cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?
You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Harmondsworth of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
How does conveyancing in Harmondsworth differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Harmondsworth contact us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is finished. This is because new home sellers in Harmondsworth typically buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancing solicitors as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Harmondsworth or who has acted in the same development.
Me and my partner are soon to complete on the purchase a property in Harmondsworth but as a consequence of wreckage from the recent storms I have negotiated recompense from the owner of £3k by way of a adjustment in the price. I had intended this to be addressed as part of the conveyancing process but the lender will not agree to this. Should they have been notified?
The lawyer that is on the mortgage company approved list is required to disclose to the lender of any amendments to the sale figure. In the event that you prohibit your conveyancer to report the reduction to your bank then they would have no choice but to disinstructing themselves from acting for you and the bank.