"When buying or selling in Chippenham, who you know matters as much as what you know. Associations with local authorities and other sources of detailed Chippenham issues are maintained by our Solicitors to streamline the Conveyancing process.

We have assisted home movers throughout Chippenham, including Conveyancing in SN14, SN15."

Local issues considered by Chippenham Conveyancing Solicitors:

What are the consequences if your solicitor is not on your Lender's panel?

Lenders maintain panels of law firms to perform mortgage legal work. While these panels were once open, allowing any firm to join, that is no longer the case. More recently, lenders have begun to remove firms which have either not completed many conveyancing transactions or have failed to meet other criteria. If your conveyancing solicitor is not on your preferred lender's panel, then the lender will not instruct that firm to act in connection with the mortgage. You then have a choice:

• Try to obtain a mortgage from another lender who will instruct your Conveyancing solicitor.
• Instruct another firm of Conveyancing solicitors who are on your lender's panel to handle your Conveyancing.
• Continue with your present Conveyancing solicitor, but accept that a separate firm will also act for the lender, and that you will have to pay their costs in addition.

It is usually cheaper to have the same firm act both for you and your lender, and carry out all the conveyancing work in connection with a purchase and the mortgage. Consider these points if you choose to change firms:

• Additional fees may be charged by the new firm which your original lawyers considered to be inclusive.
• Your second choice of firm may have less local knowledge, or be harder to meet in person.

Looking for a mortgage lender with a branch in Chippenham, Wiltshire, try:

• Lloyds TSB Bank plc, 29, High St, SN15 3HA - Tel: 0845 3000000
• NatWest Bank plc, 30, High St, SN15 3HB - Tel: 0845 6002803
• Britannia, 5, Market Place, SN15 3HD - Tel: 01249 655971
• Barclays Bank plc, 66, Market Place, SN15 3JA - Tel: 0845 7555555
• Santander, 15-16, High St, SN15 3ER - Tel: 0845 7654321

Chippenham Stamp Duty Relief

The government has designated certain areas as 'disadvantaged areas' and property purchases in such areas may qualify for relief from stamp duty. In England and Wales, they are based on electoral wards. These disadvantaged areas do not always coincide with postcode districts, so the postcode search tool cannot always be relied on. Above this designated limit of £150k, the normal rates of duty apply, and no further relief may be available. By making a straightforward search by postcode, you can usually determine if a property purchase below £150,000 will benefit, however. 'Mixed use' property, including a shop with an apartment above, may also receive stamp duty relief.

Bandings and Rates for Council Tax in Chippenham

When you are purchasing a property, your conveyancing solicitor will make enquires on your behalf to establish the council tax banding of the home. Wiltshire Council is responsible for council tax in Chippenham. The bandings for 2012/13 are* -

• Band A - £1010
• Band B - £1179
• Band C - £1347
• Band D - £1515
• Band E - £1852
• Band F - £2189
• Band G - £2525
• Band H - £3031

*Source - www.communities.gov.uk