I am selling my home in Westminster and the EA has just called to advise that the purchasers are appointing a new law firm. The reason given is that the bank will only engage with solicitors on their approved list. Why would a leading mortgage company only work with specific lawyers rather the firm that they want to appoint to handle their conveyancing in Westminster ?
Banks have always had an approved set of law firms that can act for them, but in the past few years big names such as Nationwide, have reviewed and reduced their conveyancing panel– in some cases removing conveyancing firms who have acted for them for more than 25 years.
Banks justify this action to a rise in fraud as the reason for the reduction – criteria have been stiffened as a smaller panel is easier to maintain. Banks tend not to disclose how many solicitors have been dropped, claiming the information is commercially sensitive, but the Law Society claims that it is being contacted daily by practices that have been removed from panels. Some are unaware that they have been dropped until contacted by a borrower who has instructed them as might be the situation in your buyers' case. Your purchasers are unlikely to have any sway in the decision.
I am acquiring a house without a mortgage in Westminster. I have lived for the last 15 years in Westminster. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I know the area and road intimately should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?
In the absence of a home loan, then almost all of the Westminster conveyancing searches are optional. Your solicitor will try and steer you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but she is duty bound to take that path of guidance. One thing to take into account; if you are intend to dispose of the house in the future, it will likely be be of relevance to your future purchaser what the searches determine. Sometimes premises with no practical issues can still show up unexpected search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Westminster should be able to give you some sensible guidance concerning this.
About to place a bid on a leasehold flat in Westminster. The estate agents tell me that it is the norm for flats in Westminster to have less than 75 years remaining. I am expecting a mortgage with Chelsea Building Society. Is this going to be a problem if the lease has 69 years unexpired.
Most leasehold conveyancing experts should be able to deal with a lease extension. if you are obtaining a mortgage then your lender may insist that the lease be extended before competition. Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook in relation to minimum unexpired lease terms. As of 7/10/2026 the requirements read as follows :
I am helping my sister sell her property in Westminster. Will the conveyancer commission the energy assessment or should I organise this?
After the demise of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates was maintained a compulsory component of selling a property. An energy performance certificate needs to be commissioned prior to the property being marketed. This is not a task that conveyancers ordinarily arrange. Where you are using a Westminster conveyancing solicitor they may help arrange EPC’s given their contacts with long established local assessors
Is there a list of Kent Reliance panel solicitors in Westminster on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?
No. There is no such directory service on the CML or Building Society Association sites. A small selection of lenders make their panel listings visible over the internet. Where you are looking for a Westminster solicitor on the Kent Reliance please use our facility.
My sealed bid on a house in Westminster has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The owners have offered on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties in the pipeline. I have chosen a bricks and mortar conveyancing solicitor in Westminster. What do I do now? At what stage should I apply for the mortgage with Virgin Money?
It is normal to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then valuation, Westminster conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to check that your conveyancer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. As to the subsequent stages this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to this property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market some home buyers will apply for a home loan with Virgin Money and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they pay their lawyer to move forward with the conveyancing in Westminster.
Taking into account that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on a property in Westminster I would like to have a conversation with the lawyer about myhouse move prior to appointing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?
This is something that we recommend - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the lawyer who will be conducting your conveyancing in Westminster.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is unique person, not a matter number. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the fees you are calculated and presented to you for your conveyancing in Westminster should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.
What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Westminster conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Westminster conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Westminster conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. The following questions could be useful:
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Can they put you in touch with clients in Westminster who can give a testimonial? If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
Having spent months of negotiations we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Westminster. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?
Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Westminster conveyancing firm who can help.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Westminster residence is Flats 12A & 19, Evelyn Mansions Carlisle Place in June 2009. The Tribunal held that the price to be paid for the new lease of Flat 12A is £168,824, For the other flat the price was set at £169,110 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 56 years.