Our god-son is buying a house that has just been built in Southampton with a mortgage from TSB. His conveyancer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. This document is news to me - what is it and who needs sight of it?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the TSB conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the TSB conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

How do I investigate if the solicitor carrying out my conveyancing in Southampton is on the mortgage lender’sconveyancing panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Aldermore thus paying £192.00 in additional conveyancing bill.

Please do make use of the find a conveyancing panel solicitor tool on this site. Pick the mortgage company and type ‘Southampton’ or your preferred area and you will be presented with a number of lawyer located in Southampton or by proximity to you.

I am buying a new build house in Southampton with a loan from Skipton Building Society. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not disclose to my lawyer about this side-deal as it could affect my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Southampton I like with amenity areas and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Southampton for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan that many years will likely be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer concerning this.

My wife and I have chosen a Southampton conveyancing solicitor for our home move (novice purchasers) and have noticed in the terms and conditions that they are not covered by the Financial Conduct Authority. Need I be concerned or is that the norm with property lawyer?

We can't see why they should be. Most lawyer don't lend money. You should check that they are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, who dictate specific laws in place on funds held on client account.