IfI were to purchase a simple residential housein St John's Wood mortgage fee and have no survey and no local authority searches how much would I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in St John's Wood?

The only saving you would make on is the St John's Wood conveyancing searches. The still got to do everything else - money laundering, communicating with the vendors , stamp duty return, register the property etc. A marginal saving might be made by not needing to register a mortgage however it won't be significant.

I have a decision in principle. The bank mentioned the loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to use their panel solicitor as I would prefer to instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in St John's Wood?

You should check but the chances are that allocate you one of their panel conveyancers where you accept the "fee-free" deal. Call the lender and ask if they offer you a cash alternative. Some mortgage companies have previously offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in St John's Wood.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am wet behind the ears as a first time purchaser of a ground floor flat in St John's Wood. Do I pick up the keys to the property on the completion date from my lawyer? If this is the case, I will instruct a local conveyancing solicitor in St John's Wood?

On the day of completion you do not need to attend the conveyancers office in St John's Wood. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the purchase money to the vendor’s lawyers, and once they have received this, you will be called to pick up the keys from the selling Agents and move into your new home. This tends to happen between 1 and 3pm.

I am due to exchange contracts on my apartment. I had a double glazing fitted in November 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's lender, are being a right pain. The St John's Wood solicitor who is on the conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

have agreed my home loan in principle, my bid on a apartment in St John's Wood has been accepted, what are the next steps?

The property agent will need to be informed of your 's details (be sure the are on the lender’s approved list). Call up or the financial adviser and finish off any appropriate paperwork. will instruct a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to arrange an appointment. Once carried out (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. will issue the offer to you and your . The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in St John's Wood.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in St John's Wood I like with a park and railway links nearby, however it's only got 49 years on the lease. I can't really find anything else in St John's Wood suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you may ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this.

I was pointed in your direction by a few property agents in St John's Wood to locate a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your site over and above another?

We don’t make any financial incentive for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.