My partner and I are planning to purchase a home in Ravenscourt Park and have appointed a Ravenscourt Park conveyancing firm. Within the past 48 hours our property lawyer has sent a preliminary report and documents to look through with a view to exchanging next week. National Westminster Bank have this morning contacted us to inform me that they have now hit a problem as our Ravenscourt Park lawyer is not on their conveyancing panel. What do we do from here?
When purchasing a property with the benefit of a mortgage it is standard for the purchasers' lawyers to also represent 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 lender and see if they can apply for membership of their conveyancing panel, but if that is not viable they will instruct their own lawyers to represent them. You don't have to instruct a firm on the bank's conveyancing panel as you are at liberty to use your preferred Ravenscourt Park lawyers, in which case your legal fees may increase, and it will likely delay the transaction as you are adding another lawyer into the mix.
Are you able to recommend a Godiva Mortgages Ltd allowed Ravenscourt Park conveyancing practice who can have us moved in within two weeks? Am I best advised to go for a local Ravenscourt Park solicitor or a factory type firm?
We would be happy to suggest some excellent Ravenscourt Park conveyancing firms. You can also walk up the main road in Ravenscourt Park. Approach some well established firms and ask to see a conveyancing solicitor for a costs illustration. Explain your time frames together with the reasons and get a commitment on your deadline. Appoint the one that genuine.
At what point can the exchange of contracts take place for domestic conveyancing in Ravenscourt Park and do I need to be at the solicitors branch?
If you are in close proximity to our conveyancing solicitors in Ravenscourt Park you are welcome to attend to sign documents. That being said, the lender approved solicitors we recommend provide a national conveyancing service and give as equally diligent and professional a job for you when communicating with you digitally. The executing of the property agreement is not the point of no return. A signed contract simply enables the firm to officially exchange at the appropriate time, which is ordinarily shortly after signing. The exchange process is is usually a five minute process, although where a lengthy "chain" is in the mix, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Ravenscourt Park)to be in the office available at the end of the phone to exchange contracts.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Ravenscourt Park. My lender is Nationwide Building Society
Nationwide Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 24/1/2026, the requirements read as follows :
My relative suggested that if I am buying in Ravenscourt Park I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Ravenscourt Park conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Ravenscourt Park around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data about Ravenscourt Park.
Should I be worried if there is a problem with one of the searches for our conveyancing in Ravenscourt Park?
On the whole, the majority of adverse entries arising from Ravenscourt Park conveyancing search responses can be dealt with prior to completion or indemnity insurance may be obtained. You need to note that although you are acquiring the property and may be willing to accept the search results, your mortgage lender may not, and when all said and done they have the final say.