My mortgage broker has asked me for my Hockley solicitor’s panel member for the Santander conveyancing panel. What is the best way to find this out. I have e-mailed my local Hockley branch but they cant find it on their system.

You are best placed to get this information from your Hockley . They retain a central record lender panel numbers.

My partner and I have recently bought a house in Hockley. We have noticed several issues with the house which we suspect were omitted in the conveyancing searches. Do we have any recourse? Can you clarify the nature of searches that needed to have been ordered for conveyancing in Hockley?

It is not clear from the question as to the nature of the problems and if they are relate to conveyancing in Hockley. Conveyancing searches and investigations initiated as part of the buying process are carried out to help avoid problems. As part of the legal transfer of property, the vendor fills in a form referred to as a SPIF. If the information is incorrect, you could possibly take legal action against the vendor for any losses that you have suffered. The survey should have identified any problems with the structure of the property. Assuming a detailed survey was carried out and the issues were not identified, you may have a claim against the surveyor. However, if you did not have a full survey, you may be responsible for fixing any defects that have now been noted. We would always encourage buyers to take every possible step to ensure they are completely aware of the condition of a property before purchase regardless of whether they are buying in Hockley.

I used Wolstenholmes several years past for my conveyancing in Hockley. Now, I need the documents however 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 Hockley 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'm buying a new build house in Hockley benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about the extras as it could impact my mortgage with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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 own a 2 bed flat in Hockley, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Hockley with over 90 years remaining are worth £165,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 50

With just 50 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £36,100 and £41,800 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.