My Hilperton lawyer has identified a difference when comparing the surveyor’s assumptions in the valuation survey and what is in the legal papers for the property. My lawyer has advised that he must check that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is content to go ahead. Is my conveyancer’s course or action appropriate?

Your conveyancer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for you.

It is 10 years ago since I purchased my home in Hilperton. Conveyancing solicitors have recently been instructed on the sale but I am unable to find my deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. Firstly the deeds may be with the mortgage company or they could still be with the lawyers who oversaw your purchase. Secondly in all probability the land will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers acquiring up to date copy of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Hilperton relates to registered property but in the rare situation where your home is not registered it is more problematic but is not insurmountable.

My fiancee and I are spending time looking at houses in Hilperton and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it best to have my lawyer on ‘stand by’? I intend to finance via a mortgage with UBS.

You should start obtaining conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the selling agent. As you are obtaining a mortgage with UBS, ask your prospective lawyers if they are on the UBS conveyancing panel otherwise they can't do the mortgage legal work.

Planning on purchasing a house in Hilperton. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Lender if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel. I wanted to make sure it means there will be no additional fees for dealing with the mortgage.

They are simply saying that the cost for acting for the lender is included in the fee being quoted. It is worth you checking that the Hilperton conveyancing practitioner is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel.

I have instructed a Hilperton conveyancing practitioner having checked that they are on the UBS conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

UBS will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually UBS 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. You may wish to consider appointing your own Hilperton surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I have recentlydiscovered that Arc property Solicitors have been shut down. They carried out my conveyancing in Hilperton for a purchase of a leasehold flat 10 months ago. How can I establish that the property is not still registered in the name of the previous owner?

The quickest way to see if the property is registered to you, you can carry out a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Hilperton conveyancing specialists.

I am purchasing my first flat in Hilperton with a mortgage from Bank of Scotland. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not inform my lawyer about this deal as it will impact my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.