My wife and I are buying a 1 bedroom apartment in Staffordshire with a mortgage. We like our Staffordshire solicitor, but the lender advise he's not on their "panel". We have to appoint one of the lender panel solicitors or retain our Staffordshire property lawyer and pay for one of their panel lawyers to represent them. This feels very unfair; is there anything we can do?
No, not really. Your mortgage offer is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the lender’s conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your Staffordshire conveyancing solicitor to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
Will my conveyancing lawyers need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Staffordshire. My lender is Accord Mortgages
Accord Mortgages have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 1/4/2026, the requirements read as follows :
My relative recommended that if I am buying in Staffordshire I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?
A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Staffordshire conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and setting out important information about Staffordshire 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 type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Local Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Staffordshire.
I used Action Conveyancing several years past for my conveyancing in Staffordshire. Now, I need the documents but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?
You should call 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 Staffordshire of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.
I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Staffordshire is where the house is located. What do you suggest?
Flying freeholds in Staffordshire are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Staffordshire you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Staffordshire may determine 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.
I am contemplating appointing an online solicitor rather than a Staffordshire conveyancing firm. Should I ‘stay local’?
Advantages do exist in being able to visit a local Staffordshire conveyancing solicitor for instance
- signing papers on short notice
- often being able to see someone face-to-face can make a huge difference, particularly for non-standard transactions
- the ability to complain if things are not going as expected
When comparing fees, look out for hidden extras. The majority decent Staffordshire high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents seem to offer cheap prices, but have burried 'extras' in the fine print.