I plan on buying a flat in Sutton Coldfield. My lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company conveyancing list. Can I still use my Sutton Coldfield conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company panel?

You have a number of options available to you here

• Proceed with your existing Sutton Coldfield property lawyer but your lender will undoubtedly appoint a conveyancer from their approved list. The net result is additional fees and potential delay.
• Choose a fresh solicitor to act in the purchase, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your conveyancer to pull out all the stops to join the bank’s conveyancing panel

What does a local search tell me regarding the property my wife and I purchasing in Sutton Coldfield?

Sutton Coldfield conveyancing often starts with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or through a personal search organisations such as PSG The local search plays a central part in many a Sutton Coldfield conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your new home. The search will provide data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 topic headings.

I am purchasing a new build house in Sutton Coldfield benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this side-deal as it will jeopardize my mortgage with HSBC Bank. 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.

Should I use a Sutton Coldfield conveyancing lawyer based in the vicinity that I am hoping to buy? An old friend can perform the conveyancing but his firm is located 200kilometers drive away.

The primary upside of using a local Sutton Coldfield conveyancing firm is that you can visit the firm to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and apply pressure on them where appropriate. Having local Sutton Coldfield know how is a benefit. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who used your friend and in the main were content that must outweigh using an unknown Sutton Coldfield conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being Sutton Coldfield based.

At what point do I cover the costs of stamp duty payable for my house transaction in Sutton Coldfield?

The majority of property lawyers will fill out a Land Transaction Return Form on your behalf as part of your Sutton Coldfield purchase transaction for you to sign. After completion your lawyer will submit the STL application to the Inland Revenue and - as long as they have the funds - settle any tax bill due for you.