Am I correct in assuming that the fact that my solicitor in Clapham and Salph End is not on my mortgage company's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the quality of her conveyancing?

That is more than likely a wrong assumption to make. There are all sorts of perfectly plausible explanations. A recent report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) low volume of transactions (2) the solicitor is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. If you are concerned you should contact the Clapham and Salph End conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

My nephew is buying a new build apartment in Clapham and Salph End with a home loan from Skipton. His conveyancer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. Who needs to receive the form?

The document is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the Skipton conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the Skipton conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Have just purchased a probate house at auction in Clapham and Salph End. Conveyancing is needed. What is next?

Having exchanged you will need to choose a conveyancing solicitor as a matter of priority as you will have a fast approaching a fixed date to complete the purchase. An auction property will ordinarily have a corresponding legal set of papers. This will include the copy title deeds, local authority and drainage searches. If you have purchased leasehold premises the conveyancing papers should contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork specific to a leasehold property. You must hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that your finances are in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am new to the house moving as FTB of a garden flat in Clapham and Salph End. Do I pick up the keys to the property on completion from my solicitor? If this is the case, I will find a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Clapham and Salph End?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will transfer the completion advance to the seller's solicitors, and once they have received this, you should be called to receive the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen early afternoon.

Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Clapham and Salph End 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 conveyancer 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 Clapham and Salph End postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Skipton, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Clapham and Salph End.

I'm buying my first flat in Clapham and Salph End with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to budge the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this extras as it may jeopardize my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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 new to the buying process - agreed a price, yet the selling agent told us that the seller will only proceed if we instruct their recommended solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. We would rather use a high street conveyancer with experience of conveyancing in Clapham and Salph End

It is unlikely the owners are driving this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine buyer is going to damage their objectives. Contact the vendors directly and make the point that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you have nothing to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you intend to appoint your own,trusted Clapham and Salph End conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give the negotiator at the agency a kickback or meet his conveyancing thresholds demanded by head office.