My wife and I are only a couple days away from an exchange on a property in Clayhall and my parents have sent the 10% deposit to my . I am now told that as the deposit has not arrived from me my needs to disclose this to my lender. Apparently, in also acting for the bank he must inform them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I informed the mortgage company concerning my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really necessary for this now to be an issue?

Your is duty bound to check with lender to ensure that they understand that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only reveal this to your lender if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is removed from the Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Clayhall?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

I have been on the look out for a flat up to £245,000 and found one close by in Clayhall I like with a park and station in the vicinity, however it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Clayhall for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Clayhall for my sale. Can I see a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

One may read documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from investigations commenced on or after Jan 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may recorded telephone calls for training purposes.

Is there a distinction between surveying and conveyancing in Clayhall?

Conveyancing - in Clayhall or elsewhere - is the legal term given to transferring legal title of property from one person to another. It involves the investigation of the title. Whether buying or selling, you should be aware of anything affecting the property such as proposals by government departments, illegal buildings, or outstanding rates. The conveyancer should conduct the appropriate searches and inquiries on the property. Surveying relates to the structure of a property itself. A surveyor will look at a house, flat and any outbuildings you are intending to buy and will help you find out about the condition of the building and, if there are problems, give you a powerful reason for negotiating the purchase price down or asking the seller to fix the problems before you complete your move.