I have been told by my solicitor that lack of building regulations insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Highbury conveyancing?

The appropriate level of lack of building regulations indemnity insurance depends on who your lender is. It would differ for example between Santander and The Royal Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

We had chosen solicitors located in Highbury on the Nationwide solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me a supplemental charge for handling the Nationwide mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Nationwide?

Unfortunately, so long as it is in their Terms and Conditions or estimate then yes your lawyer is entitled to levy a fee for this. The charge is not set by Nationwide but by your Highbury solicitor. Some firms on the Nationwide panel will quote ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

It is unclear whether my bank obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called my Highbury bank branch on numerous occasions and was told they are content with the situation and they will lend. My Highbury conveyancing solicitor - who is on the bank conveyancing panel- telephoned and was told they will not lend in accordance with their specific requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the solicitor is on the lender approved list, they must adhere to the CML Handbook conditions for the lender. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the lender will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the lender to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

Should commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that may affect a commercial land in Highbury?

Its becoming the norm that commercial conveyancing solicitors in Highbury will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers spend in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Highbury. The search result sets out definitive data on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Highbury.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Highbury it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been addressed adequately may result in delays to Highbury commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Highbury.

Just acquired a terraced house in Highbury , What is the estimated time for the Land Registry to record my title? My Highbury conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to be certain the land registry aspects are addressed.

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in Highbury registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can adjust according to the party submitting the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any third persons or bodies. At present roughly 80% of such applications are fully dealt with within two weeks but occasionally there can be longer delays. Historically registration takes place after the purchaser is living at the premises so post completion formalities is not always top priority but where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your conveyancer could contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

I am purchasing a new build house in Highbury with a mortgage from National Westminster Bank. The builders refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my lawyer about the deal as it will adversely affect my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.

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.

My partner and I plan to acquire our first property in Highbury. Conveyancing lawyer already appointed. The broker pointed out that a survey is not necessary as the house is just 17 years old.

At the very least you should have a Home Buyer's Report. Given the residence is over 10 years old the property will not benefit from a warranty, so you don't want to take a risk. Where a property of this age shows no signs of problems a Home Buyer's report may be enough. The report should highlight any apparent issues and recommend additional investigation where relevant. If there are any signs of material issues obtain a full Building Survey from the beginning.