My partner and I are acquiring a newly built duplex in Greenwich and my conveyancer is telling me that she is duty bound to the lender to disclose incentives from the seller. I am under pressure to sign contracts and I would rather not delay matters. Is my lawyer right?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your solicitor. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

My grandfather passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Greenwich. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to RBS, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you intend to refinance then RBS will require that you use a conveyancer on the RBS conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your RBS conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the RBS mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

I am purchasing a new build house in Greenwich with a mortgage from Accord Mortgages Ltd. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not disclose to my lawyer about this side-deal as it will affect my loan 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what was supposed to be a quick, no chain conveyancing. Greenwich is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can impart?

Flying freeholds in Greenwich are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Greenwich you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Greenwich may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

How do I use your search facility to select a conveyancing lawyer in Greenwich on the authorised to act for my lender?

Step one is to pick a bank such as Halifax, Chelsea Building Society or TSB then choose your location for instance Greenwich. Conveyancing organisations in Greenwich and across England and Wales will then be shown.