Me and my wife are purchasing property in Hingham. My Solicitor has never been on on the lender solicitor panel. Can I still retain my Hingham conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the lender list of approved lawyers?

You will need to instruct a solicitor to deal with the legal work required if you require a loan to buy your property. They will conduct all the relevant legal checks on the property, ensuring that you’re registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is dealt with. You may select a Hingham solicitor of your choosing. However, if the property lawyer selected is not a member of the mortgage company approved list further charges will arise as separate legal representation will be need by the lender. Bank panel applications can be submitted, so if your solicitor has not in the past sought membership they should take the chance to apply.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Hingham. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Santander be concerned?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with Santander your lawyer must comply with the formal instructions contained in Part 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Santander. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Santander where a lease fails to meet these provisions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not restricted to Hingham.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Hingham. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Most banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

Intending to buy a maisonette in Hingham. I have received an online quote from a licenced conveyancer, which states: "There will be no charge for dealing with the Building Society if you are obtaining a mortgage". I take this to mean that there will be no additional fee if the solicitor is on the TSB 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 Hingham lawyer is on the TSB conveyancing panel.

I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Hingham. Now, I need my files however the law firm has closed. What do I do?

You should call the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Hingham of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I am purchasing my first flat in Hingham benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The estate agent suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this extras as it would impact my mortgage with the lender. 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.

Threeweeks into buying a house in Hingham. Conveyancing solicitor has told us the title is "Leasehold". Should this adversely affect our Natwest valuation?

Hingham conveyancing does not in most situations involve leasehold houses. The key factor here is the length of lease and the ground rent. If it's 999 years with a nominal rent, it's virtually freehold, so it’s unlikely to impact the marketability significantly.

At the other end of the spectrum, if it's, say, Sixty years it will have a material impact on the value, and probably wouldn't be mortgageable. The length of lease and ground rent will be specified in the lease provided to your conveyancer.