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On this occasion MPs are absolutely correct that solicitors who agree to be the named solicitor/conveyancer for purchases from a particular developer are inevitably going to be too close to the developer in question. Why does the developer chose that conveyancer - the "official" line will be that the conveyancer is "familiar" with the issues and will not be wasting time by reinventing the wheel in their enquiries and scrutiny of the sales pack - thereby saving time and money...

Anyone who accepts that without question, is, putting it politely, extremely naïve.

Anyone who agrees to be said "tame" solicitor or conveyancer ought to examine their professional conscience. Never mind whether you can get round the conduct rules or not - how can anyone really be satisfied that they are acting 100% in the interests of the buyer client.

I have been approached to be said "tame" solicitor on a number of occasions and have always refused because it does not take a great deal of sense to realise that your professional duty to your client is bound at any time to be compromised.

I have also seen some of the contracts entered into when this "arrangement" has been in place - with some provisions in them that no half decent conveyance would allow on behalf of a buyer client.