I am hoping to receive a mortgage offer from Santander. I intend to employ the services of a Licensed Conveyancer in East Bedfont. Does the Santander Solicitor panel include conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Santander conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, associated to the Council or Mortgage Lenders or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

All was ready to complete my purchase in East Bedfont next Thursday. My conveyancing practitioner now wants me to supply her with proof of content and building insurance for the property as he says that he has to check this in his capacity as lawyer for the lender. What risks does the bank expect the insurance to cover?

All property lawyers on acting for banks would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 instructions. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in East Bedfont.

Why do I have to pay up front for conveyancing in East Bedfont?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in East Bedfont your lawyer will request that you to provide them with funds to cover the search fees. Normally this is needed to cover the fees of the conveyancing searches. When the deposit is payable against the purchase price then this will be asked for immediately before exchange of contracts. The closing balance that is needed should be transferred shortly before completion.

I am downsizing from our property in East Bedfont and according to the buyers it appears that there is a possibility that the property was built land that was not decontaminated. A local lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the buyers instructed an online conveyancing outfit as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in East Bedfont. We have lived in East Bedfont for 4 years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing solicitor already. Are they able to advise? You should check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

I'm buying my first flat in East Bedfont with a mortgage from Barclays Direct. The developers would not reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my solicitor about the extras as it may impact my loan with the lender. 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.