Our grandson is buying a newly built flat in Upminster with a home loan from . His conveyancer has said that there is a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the surveyor when requested. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

We had appointed solicitors with offices in Upminster on the solicitor panel. They are now charging me an additional sum for the legal aspects of the mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by ?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or Quote then yes your can levy a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by but by your Upminster . Some firms on the panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee but some firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

I have paid off my mortgage with . I assume I don't need a Upminster on the panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the mortgage from the register. , and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. has instructed the Land Registry to do so

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Upminster. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

I have been told that property searches are the main cause of delay in Upminster house deals. Is this right?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature within the most frequent causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are unlikely to be the root cause of slowing down conveyancing in Upminster.

2 months have elapsed since my purchase conveyancing in Upminster concluded. I have checked the Land Registry site which shows that I paid £200,000 when infact I paid £170,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the asset from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

Due to the guidance of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Upminster in advance of retaining conveyancers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. My surveyor has said that some lenders will not issue a loan on a flying freehold premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can check via the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Upminster. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.