I am buying a house for cash in Turnpike Lane. I have been residing for the last Seventeen years in Turnpike Lane. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. Given that I know the road and vicinity intimately should I not bother getting the solicitor to do all the conveyancing searches?

In the absence of a mortgage, then the vast majority of the Turnpike Lane conveyancing searches are optional. Your lawyer will 'advise', perhaps strongly, that you should have searches done, but she has a professional duty to take that path of encouragement . One thing to bear in mind; if you are intend to dispose of the house one day, it may be of interest to your future purchaser what the searches disclose. Sometimes houses with no practical issues can still throw up detrimental search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Turnpike Lane will be able to give you some sensible guidance here.

We are expecting a mortgage offer soon. The bank mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Is the implication that I have to appoint their panel lawyer as I would much rather appoint a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Turnpike Lane?

You should check but the chances are that give you one of their panel lawyers if you take up the "fee-free" offer. Contact the mortgage company and ask if they offer you a cash alternative. Some mortgage companies have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Turnpike Lane.

Is it correct that all Turnpike Lane CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel?

Some major banks and building societies now utilise CQS as the starting point for Panel membership such as HSBC and Santander. CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to join their approved list of firms.

I am expecting a AIP from UBS this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do UBS recommend any Turnpike Lane solicitors on the UBS conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Turnpike Lane solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the UBS conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and UBS through the process.

Having read lots of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Turnpike Lane solicitor - who is on the Aldermore conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Aldermore will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Aldermore 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 Turnpike Lane 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.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Turnpike Lane. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build legal work.

Here is a sample of a selection of leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Turnpike Lane

There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Please supply a car parking plan.

We have an offer in principle from Godiva Mortgages Ltd who suggested that they will loan up to £300k. When do we need to instruct a practitioner for conveyancing? Turnpike Lane is where we are buying.

It would be wise to appoint a conveyancing practitioner now so that the lawyer can open the file so they can commence the ID checks etc. If and when you wish them to start work you will be asked for a deposit usually about £225. That would generally be after you have the loan offer from the lender and valuation report, but should you want to expedite the process you can get going quicker even though you may be risking some expense.