Is the fact that my solicitor in Southall is not on my lender's conveyancing panel that there is a problem with the quality of the firm’s conveyancing?
It would not be wise to jump to that conclusion. There are all sorts of perfectly reasonable explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator revealed 76% of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Southall conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your lender.
I am hoping to complete my purchase in Southall next Friday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as as she informs me that she is duty bound to validate that it is in order for the mortgage company. What does the insurance need to cover?
Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies 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 instructions. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Southall.
We're in Southall, FTBs purchasing with a mortgage (lender is UBS , and our lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?
The fact that your lawyer is on the UBS conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no solicitor should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.
Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as a first time buyer of a ground floor flat in Southall. Do I collect the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will appoint a local conveyancing solicitor in Southall?
On the day of completion you will not be required to go to the conveyancers office in Southall. Conveyancing lawyers for you will transfer the completion advance to the vendor’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be able to collect the keys from the Estate Agents and start moving into the property. This tends to happen early afternoon.
Please help - my lawyer advises that missing deeds insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the typical level of cover needed for conveyancing in Southall?
The appropriate level of missing deeds indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Halifax and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.
I had an offer accepted on a property in Southall on 15/12/2025, valuation was booked 4 days after, received a clean bill of health. Property lawyer retained, so the only thing outstanding was my mortgage offer. Having made daily calls to Leeds Building Society and chasing them on my offer, I have now been told that my offer will not be issued unless the lawyer is on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. Are Leeds Building Society entitled to hold back the Mortgage pending the lawyer being on the approved list?
A lender would not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Leeds Building Society to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.
I note that there are debates on Chancel Insurance on online forums. Am I compelled to have this when buying a property in Southall? or Apparently there is a law dating back centuries that means some homeowners living in a parish church boundary will be compelled to pay for maintenance towards the chancel within the church. Is this a legitimate concern for conveyancing in Southall?
Unless a prior purchase of the premises completed post 12 October 2013 you can expect solicitors carrying out conveyancing in Southall to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability policy.
I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Southall prior to retaining conveyancers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor advised that some lenders may refuse to issue a loan on such a home.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions from Birmingham Midshires. If you e-mail us we can look into this further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Southall. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Southall to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.