I was under the impression that the idea of the conveyancing protocol was, among other things, to get rid of standard supplementary preliminary enquiries, save when these were very transaction-specific.

I have noticed that a growing number of firms are putting to me what is very clearly a standard set of additional enquiries, which seems to grow longer with every transaction.

If these are so important, can they perhaps be incorporated into the standard property enquiries form? If they are not worthy of being included in this form, could purchasers please refrain from asking these questions?

On another topic, it is common for educational courses to include a questionnaire pertaining to what further topics I would like lectures on. I keep suggesting that they should take a standard set of indemnity policies and provide a lecture on the utility of each and every one of the multifarious forms of insurance.

I have asked insurers how often they have had claims under certain heads – to which their rather sotto voce reply has been that they have never had a claim. It appears to us that our clients are paying good money for useless insurance – and quite often the total premiums are not far short of our conveyancing charges.

RM Napier, Albinson Napier & Co, Warrington

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