Me and my fiance are buying a 1 bedroom apartment in Twickenham with a mortgage. We like our Twickenham lawyer, but the lender advise she’s not on their "panel". It seems we have little choice but to instruct one of the mortgage company panel firms or continue with our Twickenham conveyancer as well as pay for one of their panel ones to represent them. We regard this is inequitable; is there anything we can do?
Unfortunately,no. The mortgage offered to you is subject to its terms and conditions, one of which will be that lawyers will on the bank’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. Another option that might be available is for your Twickenham conveyancing lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel.
My husband and I are acquiring a brand new apartment in Twickenham and my solicitor is informing me that she is duty bound to the bank to reveal incentives from the builder. I am under pressure to sign contracts and I have no desire to delay deal. is my lawyer playing by the book?
You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on a mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.
We note that you have a search directory listing firms on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I retain them for our own conveyancing in Twickenham?
We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Twickenham.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Twickenham. My lender is Tesco Bank
Tesco Bank have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 13/11/2025, the requirements read as follows :
What will a local search tell me concerning the property my wife and I buying in Twickenham?
Twickenham conveyancing often commences with the ordering local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search company for instance Searchflow The local search is essential in every Twickenham conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any unpleasant once you have moved into your property. The search should supply data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 topic areas.
How does conveyancing in Twickenham differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Twickenham contact us having been asked by the seller to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the house is built. This is because house builders in Twickenham tend to acquire the land, 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 accustomed to new build conveyancing in Twickenham or who has acted in the same development.