My relative advised me that where I am buying in Mitcham I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Mitcham conveyancing searches. It is not a small report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing significant information about Mitcham around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful data concerning Mitcham.

Me and my brother purchased a semi-detached Edwardian house in Mitcham. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and . I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw two entries: the first freehold, another for leasehold with the matching property. I thought I was buying a freehold how can I check?

You need to read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Mitcham and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the conveyancing.

I am buying a new build house in Mitcham with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not disclose to my solicitor about the extras as it could jeopardize my mortgage with . Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

In what way can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial offices in Mitcham and how can your lawyers assist?

The 1954 Act provides a safeguard to business leaseholders, giving them the dueness to apply to court for a new tenancy and remain in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are limited grounds where a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. Mitcham is one of the many locations in which the firms we work with are based

Should I instruct a Mitcham conveyancing lawyer in close proximity to the house I am buying? An old friend can handle the legal work but her office is 300kilometers away.

The benefit of a high street Mitcham conveyancing practice is that you can attend the office to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and pester them if necessary. They will also have local intelligence which is a plus. However nothing is more important than finding someone that will do a good and efficient job. If you know people who instructed your friend and they were impressed that must outweigh using an unknown Mitcham conveyancing lawyer just because they are local.