I am acquiring a property for cash in Mill Hill. I have been living for the previous Seventeen years in Mill Hill. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I have knowledge of the road and vicinity intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then the vast majority of the Mill Hill conveyancing searches are optional. Your solicitor will try and steer you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but he has a professional duty to take that path of advice. One thing to take into account; if you are going to sell the house at a future date, it could be of interest to your future purchaser what the searches disclose. There are plenty of instances where properties with functional issues can still throw up unpredicted search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Mill Hill should provide you some helpful guidance here.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal planned roadworks that may impact a commercial premises in Mill Hill?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Mill Hill will order a SiteSolutions Highways report as it reduces the time that conveyancers expend in investigating accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Mill Hill. The report sets out definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Mill Hill.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Mill Hill it is critical to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. Failure to identify developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately may result in delays to Mill Hill commercial conveyancing transactions as well as present a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not conducted for residential conveyancing in Mill Hill.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Mill Hill before instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. The surveyor advised that some banks may refuse to grant a loan on such a home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements from Halifax. If you e-mail us we can check with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Mill Hill. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Mill Hill especially if they are accustomed to such properties in Mill Hill.

Should I be concerned about estate agents that I am dealing with are suggesting an internet conveyancing firm as opposed to a local Mill Hill conveyancing practice?

As with many service providers, often input from connections can be worth their weight in gold. Yet there are numerous people with a keen interest in a conveyancing deal; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks may put forward conveyancers to retain. On occasion the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but occasionally there might be a financial incentive behind the recommendation. You are free to select your preferred lawyer. You need to be aware that some banks operate an approved list of law firms you have to use for the lender aspect of your conveyancing.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Mill Hill for my purchase. Can I see a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public may review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations resulting from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. To find details about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could monitor telephone calls for training requirements.