My lawyer has discovered a defect with the lease for the property we are purchasing in West Wickham. The other side have offered defective title insurance as a solution. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our solicitor has advised that he must check that the lender is content with this solution. Are we the client or is the mortgage company ?

Even though you have a mortgage offer from the lender does not mean to say that the property will meet their requirements for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements. You and the mortgage company are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with.

My aunt informed me that in purchasing a property in West Wickham there may be various restrictions limiting what one can do in terms of external alterations to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of anumerous of properties in West Wickham which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to perform external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in West Wickham should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with Santander. I assume I don't need a West Wickham property lawyer on the Santander panel to remove the mortgage at the Land Registry. Am I right?

If you have finished paying off your Santander 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 Santander mortgage from the register. Santander, 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 Santander has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. Santander has instructed the Land Registry to do so

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in West Wickham. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Almost all banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel 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 am planning on selling our home in West Wickham and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the purchasers are using a web based conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in West Wickham. Having lived in West Wickham for 5 years we know that this is a non issue. Do we contact our local Authority to get clarification need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing lawyer already. Are they able to advise? You must check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out life insurance to cover that same sickness)

My husband and I are a fortnight into a freehold purchase having been recommend to solicitors by the local agent to do our conveyancing in West Wickham. We are not happy. Can you you assist me in finding new conveyancers?

A conveyancer would have to be really bad in order to consider diss instructing them. Has the loan offer been issued? If so you need to make them aware of the new contact details and have the mortgage documents are re-issued. Your new solicitor ideally should be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid escalating costs and frustration. So that should be your starting point. The find a solicitor tool can help you find a lender approved lawyer for your home move in West Wickham

My conveyancers in West Wickham have advised me that no longer have my conveyancing file. To assist with my purchase I took out a mortgage with the lender. Is it case that being on the mortgage company conveyancing panel they need to have retained the file for a prescribed period?

It very much depends from lender to lender but many of the Terms and Conditions of Conveyancing Panel Appointment require the file to be held for a period of 6 years. That being said we have not seen a copy of the lender Conveyancing Panel Terms. It might be worth you contacting the mortgage company directly.