My partner and I intend to remortgage our maisonette in Bearsted with Nationwide. We have a son 19 who lives with us. Our solicitor requested us to identify any adults other than ourselves who reside at the property. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the flat is repossessed. I have two questions (1) Is this form unique to the Nationwide conveyancing panel as he did not need to sign this form when we remortgaged 3 years ago (2) In signing this form is our son in any way compromising his right to inherit the property?

On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to Nationwide. This is solely used to protect Nationwide if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of Nationwide had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

I am helping my mother sell her property in Bearsted. Does the conveyancer arrange the EPC or do I organise this?

After the demise of HIPs, EPC’s remained a mandatory element of moving property. An energy performance certificate must be to hand before the property is placed on the market. This is not as aspect of the sale process that conveyancers ordinarily arrange. Where you are instructing a Bearsted conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy performance certificates due to their contacts with reputable Bearsted assessors

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Virgin Money, do Bearsted lawyers incur a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their panel, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I've read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Bearsted solicitor - who is on the Skipton conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Bearsted postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Bearsted.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Bearsted with a mortgage from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. The developers refused to move on the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not to tell my conveyancer about the deal as it may jeopardize my loan with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the agent advised that the vendor will only proceed if we instruct their chosen solicitors as they need an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a local conveyancer used to conveyancing in Bearsted

It is highly unlikely the vendors are behind this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a motivated purchaser is counter productive. Contact the vendors directly and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are genuine buyers (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you will continue to appoint your own,trusted Bearsted conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will earn the negotiator at the agency a kickback or meet his conveyancing figures demanded by head office.

I have been recommended a conveyancing solicitor in Bearsted. I need to find out if they are on the lender's approved list of lawyers. Can you help?

You should call your lawyer and ask them if they are on the bank's panel. Alternatively please call us and we can investigate and revert. If they are not on the bank panel we can certainly arrange a specialist conveyancing solicitor in Bearsted on the approved list for your lender.