I am considering applying for a Santander mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Bickley with 70% LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Santander ?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Santander will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

My relative advised me that where I am buying in Bickley I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is usually included in the estimate for your Bickley conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Bickley around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Bickley Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Bickley.

I used Stirling Law a few years past for my conveyancing in Bickley. Now, I need my files however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Bickley of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Bickley with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not reveal to my solicitor about this side-deal as it would put at risk my mortgage with the bank. 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.

How easy is it to change a solicitor as I need to find a Bickley based firm who is on the bank conveyancing panel. How simple is it to change conveyancer?

If you haven't yet instructed a conveyancer to do anything for you and have just received quotes, you're perfectly free to choose a different solicitor to carry out your work for you. The best way is to get recommendations from friends or family who have actually used the solicitor or conveyancer in Bickley that you're considering.