I have given 2 months notice to my current landlord and must vacate my rented flat in Copse Hill by 13/3/2025. Conveyancing for my house purchase is progressing. Can I complete in a couple of weeks as I wish to avoid having to find short term accommodation?

The normal practice is not to serve notice on a rental unless exchange of contracts has taken place. If you have not already done so, notify to your solicitor and request that they apply pressure on the sellers side, try to get a realistic time scale from them that all parties will aim to achieve

At what point will exchange of contracts happen for sale conveyancing in Copse Hill and do I need to attend the solicitors office?

If you are in close proximity to one of the conveyancing solicitors in Copse Hill you are welcome to come in to sign documents. However, the firms we recommend provide a national conveyancing service and give as equally detailed and professional a job for you when dealing with you by post or email. The executing of the contract is not when everything is set in stone. Signing on the dotted line simply enables the firm to officially exchange when the time is right, which will usually be very shortly after signing. The exchange process is nowadays normally dealt with by telephone and can be very rapid, although where an extended "chain" is in play, since the process requires the relevant party's solicitor (not necessarily a conveyancing solicitor in Copse Hill)to be in the office at the appropriate time.

Me and my brother purchased a terraced Edwardian property in Copse Hill. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and I saw a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. Is it worth asking Norwich and Peterborough Building Society to clarify?

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Copse Hill and other locations in the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the position with the conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

I am purchasing my first flat in Copse Hill with a loan from Clydesdale. The sellers would not reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about this side-deal as it could put at risk my loan with the 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.

What do I do if I am unhappy with the conveyancer who carried out my conveyancing in Copse Hill?

We live in an imperfect world, and unfortunately sometimes matters do not go as planned. That being said there is recourse if you were not happy with your conveyancing in Copse Hill. This varies from trying to resolve matters directly with them, through to reporting a property lawyer to their governing body. If things still aren’t resolved you may consider enlisting the help of the Legal Ombudsman.