Our lawyer has identified a a problem with the lease for the property we are purchasing in Shooter's Hill. The other side have suggested defective title insurance as a workaround. We are content with insurance and will pay for it. Our conveyancer has advised that he must check that the mortgage company is content with this solution. Who is the client here, us or the lender?

Notwithstanding that you have a mortgage offer from the mortgage company does not mean to say that the property will meet their specifications for the purposes of a mortgage. Your lawyer has to ensure that the lease has to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. You and the bank are the client. These conveyancing instructions have to be complied with.

I have been referred to a conveyancing solicitor in Shooter's Hill. I I am struggling to find out whether they are accepted on the Barclays Direct conveyancing panel. Can you advise?

The first thing to do is e-mail the lawyer and ask them whether they can act for the lender. Alternatively you can call Barclays Direct who may be able to confirm.

Please help - my lawyer advises that lack of planning permission insurance is necessary on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Shooter's Hill conveyancing?

The appropriate level of lack of planning permission indemnity insurance should be dictated by who your lender. It would differ for example between Birmingham Midshires and Bank of Scotland. Conveyancing solicitors as opposed to members of the public take out such insurances.

I have a mortgage with UBS for my property in Shooter's Hill. Conveyancing was finalised 12 months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out the flat and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a buy-to-let mortgage or inform UBS?

You must advise UBS prior to renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of UBS’s mortgage conditions. It may be that UBS 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 UBS directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a UBS conveyancing panel firm.

My offer on a house in Shooter's Hill has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The vendors have offered on a flat, but it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have instructed a bricks and mortar conveyancing solicitor in Shooter's Hill. What do I do now? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with Coventry BS?

It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (home loan application is in the region of £1k, then valuation, Shooter's Hill conveyancing search charges, etc). The first course of action is to check that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. As to the subsequent steps this very much depends on the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market the majority of home buyers would apply for a home loan with Coventry BS and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they request their conveyancing practitioner to proceed with searches.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Shooter's Hill benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not reveal to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it will adversely affect my loan with National Westminster Bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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

My partner has recommend that I appoint his conveyancers in Shooter's Hill. Should I choose my own solicitor?

Much as we are happy to recommend a Shooter's Hill conveyancing lawyer the ideal way to find a conveyancing practitioner is to get feedback from friends or relatives who have actually used the solicitor you're contemplating using.