Can I use your services to recommend a Conveyancing solicitor in Southfields even where I’m not buying or disposing of a house, for instance if I intend to buy an office in Southfields with a loan from Barclays Direct?

The service is primarily there to select residential conveyancing solicitors in Southfields but we have recorded towards the bottom of this page a few Southfields commercial conveyancing firms. You should make contact with the company directly to establish if they are also authorised to represent Barclays Direct

We wanted to use a property lawyer in Southfields for our home move. Our broker has since notified us that our bank Nottingham Building Society won't deal with them. Surely this is unfair competition?

A decade ago most mortgage companies had a different appetite for risk. Almost all Southfields conveyancing firms would have been on many bank panels. The FSA in 2010 conducted a thematic investigation into mortgage fraud which concluded: mortgage lenders should know the conveyancing solicitors dealt with. Consequently, mortgage companies are increasingly seeing more data from law firms concerning their operations and their employees as well as establishing certain criteria such a completing on a minimum volume of conveyancing. Many Southfields conveyancing firms that have been excluded from lender panels have Unblemished track record, no complaints and no claims and didn't just 'dabble' in conveyancing. Southfields is amongst the thousands of areas where the conveyancers showing on our search results are are approved Nottingham Building Society.

I currently have a mortgage with Barclays for my property in Southfields. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Barclays?

Your original mortgage agreement with Barclays will provide that you need their approval before letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Barclays’s mortgage conditions. It may be that Barclays will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Barclays directly. You need not do this via a Barclays conveyancing panel firm.

Completion of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Southfields. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. Who do I contact should I wish to lodge a complaint?

Almost all lenders have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Department at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

I am selling my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in September 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s mortgage company, Principality are being difficult. The Southfields solicitor who is on the Principality conveyancing panel is happy to accept ‘lack of building regulation’ insurance but Principality are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do Principality have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Principality have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Principality 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.

I'm purchasing a new build house in Southfields with a mortgage from Aldermore. The sellers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The sale representative told me not disclose to my solicitor about the deal as it would affect my loan 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.

I have been on the look out for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one near me in Southfields I like with amenity areas and station nearby, however it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Southfields for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you require a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they start the process of the extension and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.