I have just been advised by my lender that my Axbridge solicitor is not on the bank Solicitor panel. What can I do to be certain that this is indeed the case?

The first thing you need to do is to contact your Axbridge lawyer directly. You lawyer should inform you what has happened. If they are not on the panel they may recommend you to a Axbridge conveyancing firm that is on the approved list of lawyers for your mortgage company.

I am purchasing a house without a mortgage in Axbridge. I have been residing for the last 20 years in Axbridge. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the area and road very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then almost all of the Axbridge conveyancing searches are optional. Your lawyer will try and sway you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches done, but she is duty bound to do this. Do consider; if you are going to sell the house in the future, it will be of importance to your future purchaser what the searches determine. There are plenty of instances where houses with no practical issues can still reveal detrimental search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Axbridge will be able to give you some helpful guidance in this regard.

Do I have to pop into the offices of the solicitor to execute the legal charge? If so, I will choose one who does conveyancing in Axbridge so that I can pop in to their offices when needed.

As opposed to 12 years ago, almost all lenders no longer need their conveyancing panel lawyer to witness the mortgagors signature. You will still be obliged to supply ID documents and there are still manifest advantages to using a local practitioner, in your case a conveyancing solicitor in Axbridge.

Various online forums that I have visited warn that are the primary cause of obstruction in Axbridge house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the most frequent causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Searches are not likely to feature in any slowing down conveyancing in Axbridge.

I am purchasing my first flat in Axbridge with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not inform my conveyancer about this side-deal as it may adversely affect my loan with Aldermore. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.