I am expecting a mortgage offer from Halifax. My intention is to enlist the help of a Licensed Conveyancer in Timsbury. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel allow for conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Halifax conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, represented by the Council or Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

My wife and I are refinancing our penthouse in Timsbury with HSBC. We have a son 19 who lives with us. Our solicitor requested us to identify anyone over the age of 17 other than ourselves who lives in the flat. Our lawyer has now e-mailed a document for our son to sign, giving up any rights in the event that the property is repossessed. I have a couple of questions (1) Is this document specific to the HSBC conveyancing panel as he never had to sign this form when we remortgaged 3 years ago (2) Does our son by signing this compromise his rights to inherit the property?

On the face of it your lawyer has done nothing wrong as it is established procedure for any occupier who is aged 17 or over to sign the necessary Consent Form, which is purely to state that any rights he has in the property are postponed and secondary to HSBC. This is solely used to protect HSBC if the property were re-possessed so that in such circumstances, your son would be legally obliged to leave. It does not impact your son’s right to inherit the apartment. Please note that if your son were to inherit and the mortgage in favour of HSBC had not been discharged, he would be liable to take over the loan or pay it off, but other than that, there is nothing stopping him from keeping the property in accordance with your will or the rules of intestacy.

I used Arc property Solicitors a few years ago for my conveyancing in Timsbury. I now require my papers however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

Do contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Timsbury of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Timsbury is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Timsbury are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Timsbury you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Timsbury may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

I am thinking of instructing a web based conveyancer ahead of a Timsbury conveyancing practice. Am I making a mistake?

There are advantages of having the opportunity to attend a local Timsbury conveyancing solicitor for example

• signing papers on short notice
• often being able to see someone face-to-face can make a significant difference, particularly for non-standard conveyancing
• the ability to complain if things go pear-shaped

When checking fees, look carefully for hidden extras. Most decent Timsbury high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online agents appear to offer low cost fees, but have hidden 'extras' in the fine print.