Our lawyer has uncovered a defect with the lease for the flat we are buying in Hoddesdon. The seller’s lawyers have suggested title insurance as a solution. We are happy with insurance and will pay for it. Our lawyer has advised that he must be satisfied that the mortgage company is happy with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the bank?

Regardless of the fact that you have a mortgage offer from the mortgage company does not mean to say that the property will meet their provisions for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the mortgage company are the client. The appropriate lender conditions must be adhered to.

I am assisting my step-mother sell her flat in Hoddesdon. Does the solicitor arrange an EPC or do I organise this?

After the demise of Home Information Packs, EPC’s remained a compulsory element of selling a house. An energy assessment needs to be commissioned in advance of the property being put on the market. It is not as aspect of the sale process that conveyancers ordinarily organise. If you are instructing a Hoddesdon conveyancing solicitor they might be able to arrange EPC’s due to their relationships with long established local assessors

I have instructed a Hoddesdon property lawyer having made sure that they are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Nationwide will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Nationwide 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. Your solicitor will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Hoddesdon postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Nationwide, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Hoddesdon.

My sealed bid on a semi in Hoddesdon has been accepted, the owners do however have an associated purchase. The vendors have placed an offer on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have chosen a high street conveyancing solicitor in Hoddesdon. What do I do now? When do I get the mortgage application with HSBC going?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Hoddesdon conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should check that your solicitor is on the HSBC approved list. Regarding the subsequent phase this very much dictated by the specifics of your case, motivation for the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market many buyers would apply for a home loan with HSBC and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their conveyancing practitioner to proceed with searches.

I am buying my first flat in Hoddesdon with a mortgage from Santander. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not to tell my solicitor about the extras as it will adversely affect my loan 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.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £245,000 and identified one near me in Hoddesdon I like with open areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it's only got 51 years on the lease. There is not much else in Hoddesdon in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan the shortness of the lease will likely be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you can request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Hoddesdon for my home move. Is there any facility to check a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Anyone may find documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may recorded telephone calls for training reasons.