It is 10 years ago since I bought my home in Hatch End. Conveyancing lawyers have just been retained on the sale but I am unable to locate the title documents. Will this cause complications?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly the deeds may be with the lender or they may be in the possession of the conveyancers who handled the purchase. Secondly the chances are that the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Hatch End involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

What is the best way to check that the solicitor handling my conveyancing in Hatch End is on the lender’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Birmingham Midshires thus paying £175.00 in additional conveyancing bill.

You should take advantage of the search tool on this site. Please choose the lender and type ‘Hatch End’ or your location and you will discover a number of lawyer located in Hatch End or by proximity to you.

Me and my brother have a semi-detached Victorian property in Hatch End. Conveyancing lawyer acted for me and Nottingham Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are a couple of entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You need to review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Hatch End and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Hatch End with a loan from Virgin Money. The builders would not reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not reveal to my lawyer about the deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with Virgin Money. Is this normal?.

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 last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Hatch End is the location of the property. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in Hatch End are rare but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Hatch End you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Hatch End 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.