Can you help? My Perton conveyancer is advising me that he is legally obliged toapply for Perton conveyancing searches due to the fact thatthe firm are on the Virgin Moneyconveyancing panel. These Perton searches cost a lot of money can this be avoided?

You have limited options available to you. As you are taking a mortgage with a mortgage company your has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the CML Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Perton conveyancing searches.

It is is a decade since I bought my home in Perton. Conveyancing solicitors have now been instructed on the sale but I can't locate the title deeds. Is this a major issue?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be retained by the mortgage company or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who oversaw your purchase. Secondly in most cases the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Perton involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

Me and my brother have a terraced Georgian house in Perton. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and . I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the matching address. If a house is not a freehold shouldn't I have been informed?

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Perton and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also check the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Perton is where the house is located. What do you suggest?

Flying freeholds in Perton are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Perton you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Perton may ascertain 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 need to swap lawyers as my Perton lawyer is not on the lender's panel of conveyancing solicitors. Is it advisable to appoint a new law firm?

In the event that you have not formally appointed a solicitor to commence the conveyancing and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Perton that you're thinking of instructing.