I am purchasing residence in Golders Green. My lawyer has never been on on the mortgage company conveyancing panel. Can I still use my Golders Green conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the mortgage company panel?

One will need to instruct a solicitor to complete the formalities if you need a mortgage to purchase your property. They will conduct all the essential investigations on the property, ensuring that you will be properly registered as the owner and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is in order. One may appoint a Golders Green solicitor of your choosing. Nevertheless, where the property lawyer appointed is not on the mortgage company approved list supplemental costs will be incurred as separate legal representation will be required by them. Conveyancing panel applications can be submitted, so provided your solicitor has not previously applied for membership they should do so.

We note that you have a search directory identifying firms on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Do firms pay you a referral fee if I instruct them for our own conveyancing in Golders Green?

We are a listing service only for law firms wishing to communicate if they are on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel or other lender panels. We do not charge referral fees to any conveyancer that you subsequently appoint for your conveyancing in Golders Green.

When it comes to lenders such as RBS, do Golders Green conveyancing practitioners incur a fee to be on the list of approved solicitors?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

I had a mortgage agreed in principle with Leeds Building Society. Golders Green conveyancing practitioners are selected. How long does it take for Leeds Building Society to issue the offer to the conveyancer?

There is no definitive answer here. Have Leeds Building Society completed the valuation? Have you informed Leeds Building Society as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Leeds Building Society conveyancing panel? It is not unusual for a mortgage offer to take a month to come through.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Golders Green conveyancer having checked that they are on the Skipton conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Skipton will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Skipton will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Golders Green surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Golders Green with a loan from National Westminster Bank. The sellers refused to move on the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my lawyer about the extras as it could affect my loan with the bank. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Golders Green is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in Golders Green are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Golders Green you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Golders Green may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.