I am getting a offer of a home loan from Halifax. I intend to instruct a Licensed Conveyancer in Crayford. Does the Halifax Solicitor panel exclude Licensed Conveyancers?

The Halifax approved solicitor list is, like many other lenders, represented by the CML or BSA, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

Do conveyancers request money up-front for my conveyancing in Crayford?

Where you are retaining lawyers for conveyancing in Crayford your lawyer will request that you place them with funds to cover the search fees. Generally this is requested to cover the fees of the Local Authority Search. When the down payment is payable against the total price then this should be required shortly prior to exchange of contracts. Any further balance that is due should be sent to your lawyer shortly before completion.

My colleague suggested that if I am buying in Crayford I should ask my conveyancer to execute a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is occasionally included in the estimate for your Crayford conveyancing searches. It is a large document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing significant information about Crayford around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Crayford Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Crayford.

I am purchasing a new build house in Crayford with a mortgage from Barnsley Building Society. The developers refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The house builders rep told me not to tell my conveyancer about the extras as it could put at risk my mortgage 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.

I am looking for a ground for flat up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Crayford I like with a park and transport links in the vicinity, the downside is that it's only got 61 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Crayford suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error buying a short lease?

If you need a home loan that many years will be an issue. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.