I am remortgaging my flat in Highams Park, does my lawyer have to be on the Solicitor panel?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with two solicitors involved, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

I used Action Conveyancing several years ago for my conveyancing in Highams Park. Now, I need my documents but the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should 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 Highams Park of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously instructed, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Highams Park with a mortgage from . The sellers refused to move on the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not to tell my conveyancer about this deal as it will adversely affect my loan with the bank. 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 opted to have a survey done on a house in Highams Park before instructing lawyers. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. The surveyor advised that some banks will not grant a mortgage on this type of house.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions for example to Birmingham Midshires. Should you wish to call us we can look into this further via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Highams Park. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

Am I best advised to instruct a Highams Park conveyancing practitioner based in the area that I am hoping to buy? I have an old university friend who can deal with the legal work however her office is approximately 350kilometers away.

The primary upside of using a local Highams Park conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to sign paperwork, hand in your identification documents and pester them if necessary. Having local Highams Park know how is a benefit. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust instructed your friend and on the whole were happy that must surpass using an unknown Highams Park conveyancing solicitor just because they are round the corner.