IfI were to purchase a simple residential housein Sydenham mortgage fee and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much should I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Sydenham?

Any savings you would gain will be isolated to the disbursement for searches. A solicitor is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, correspond with the vendors solicitor, SDLT return, register the property etc. A slight saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage but it will not be significant.

My wife and I are buying a apartment in Sydenham. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we have to send our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as RBS, do Sydenham solicitors have to pay a fee to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any bank fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in February 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Nationwide are being pedantic. The Sydenham solicitor who is on the Nationwide conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Nationwide are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Nationwide have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nationwide have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nationwide may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I am buying a new build house in Sydenham with a mortgage from Nottingham Building Society. The builders refused to budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my lawyer about this side-deal as it could put at risk my mortgage with Nottingham Building Society. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £305k and identified one round the corner in Sydenham I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, however it only has 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sydenham in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you need a mortgage that many years will likely be problematic. Reduce the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current owner has owned the property for at least 2 years you can ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign 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 lawyer about this matter.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing solicitor in Sydenham for my house move. Can I review a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

You can search for published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from inquisitions commenced on or after 1 January 2008. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For information Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA could recorded telephone calls for training requirements.