We are purchasing a newly converted apartment in Southwick with a mortgage from Norwich and Peterborough Building Society.We use our Southwick conveyancing practitioner but Norwich and Peterborough Building Society says she’s not on their approved list of member firms. It seems we are left with little choice but to instruct a Norwich and Peterborough Building Society panel lawyer or keep our local solicitor and pay for a Norwich and Peterborough Building Society panel lawyer to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

No, not really. The home loan offered to you is subject to its various provisions, a common one being that solicitors needs to be on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society approved list. Until recently, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could find one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. A further alternative is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Norwich and Peterborough Building Society

We are buying a property and the lawyer has raised the issue of Chancel Repair for which the house could be obligated to contribute to given it’s proximity to the area of such a church. He has recommended insurance. Is this really required for conveyancing in Southwick

Unless a prior purchase of the house completed post 12 October 2013 you may assume that solicitors delivering conveyancing in Southwick to continue to propose a a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I am purchasing my first flat in Southwick benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The sale representative told me not inform my solicitor about the extras as it could put at risk my loan with Santander. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

We're first time buyers - had an offer accepted, yet the estate agent has warned us that the seller will only proceed if we appoint their recommended lawyers as they need an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor with experience of conveyancing in Southwick

We suspect that the seller is not behind this request. Should the owner want ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a genuine buyer is counter productive. Speak to the vendors direct and make the point that (a)you are genuine buyers (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are unencumbered (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you are going to appoint your own,trusted Southwick conveyancing solicitors - rather thanthose that will earn the negotiator at the agency a referral fee or hit his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by corporate headquarters.

Do I cancel the direct debit for my mortgage with Yorkshire BS as soon as a completion date for my sale in Southwick has been agreed?

You are best advised to maintain paying any mortgage sums to Yorkshire BS until the mortgage is repaid on completion as part of your Southwick conveyancing.