My partner and I are approaching an exchange on a property in East Oxford and my mum and dad have sent the 10% deposit to my conveyancing practitioner. I am now told that as the deposit has not come from me my conveyancing practitioner needs to make a notification to my lender. I am advised that, in also acting for the bank he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I disclosed to the lender regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the home loan, so is it really appropriate for this now to be an issue?

Your solicitor is obliged to check with the bank to make sure that they understand that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only notify this to your lender if you agree, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

What does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in East Oxford? Is this really warranted?

East Oxford conveyancing solicitors as well as nationwide property lawyers accross the UK have an obligation under Anti-terror and anti-money-laundering rules to check the ID of any client in order to satisfy themselves that clients are who they say they are.

Conveyancing clients are required to provide two forms of certified identification; proof of identity (usually a Passport or Driving Licence) and evidence of address (usually a Bank Statement no more than three months).

Confirmation of source of funds is also required under the money laundering regulations as solicitors have a duty to investigate that the money you are using to purchase a property (whether it be the deposit for exchange or the full purchase price where you are buying mortgage free) has come from legitimate source (such as an inheritance) rather than the fruits of illegitimate behaviour.

The East Oxford conveyancing solicitors that just started acting on my house acquisition in East Oxford have suddenly closed. I only went with them because I needed a lawyer on the Barclays conveyancing panel and my family East Oxford lawyer was not. I gave my credit card details for them to take £195 for searches. What do I do now?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them straight away so that they can let the sellers know that there may be a slight delay due to reasons beyond your control. Most sellers would be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You will need to appoint new lawyers that are on the Barclays conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new solicitors should be in a position to help.

I'm purchasing a new build house in East Oxford with a loan from Halifax. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep advised me not to tell my solicitor about this extras as it could put at risk my loan with the bank. 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.

I have been pointed in your direction by a number of selling agents in East Oxford to select a conveyancer using your seach tool. Is there a financial incentive for Estate Agents to recommend your site rather than a competitor’s?

We refuse to give any financial incentive for directing people to this site. We found it would be just too difficult a fee as home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.