I read the article ‘Lenders vet solicitors on Google and note that lenders are monitoring the time solicitors take to register charges.

The delaying factor in almost all cases is the time lenders take to discharge existing charges after receipt of funds from the seller’s solicitors.

Furthermore, many lenders no longer even notify the seller’s solicitors that this has been done.

It would be grossly unfair to penalise solicitors for delays caused by lenders themselves.

Regarding the perception of small firms being particularly susceptible to mortgage fraud, as a sole practitioner who has recently been accredited under the Conveyancing Quality Scheme, I hope that lenders will now take this into account when considering firms for approval as panel solicitors.

Helle Jacobsen, Jacobsen & Co, London SW6