What is the optimum way to investigate if the solicitor conducting my conveyancing in Freshford is on the bank’sapproved panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for Virgin Money thus paying £187.00 plus VAT in supplemental conveyancing costs.

Feel free to take advantage of the search tool on this site. Pick the mortgage company and type ‘Freshford’ or your preferred area and you will discover numerous conveyancers located in Freshford or nearest you.

We expect to receive a DIP from Barclays this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Barclays recommend any Freshford solicitors on the Barclays conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

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

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Freshford. Conveyancing was satisfactory but I would like to complain about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are resolved very quickly. However if you are not satisfied that the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR who will take matters further.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in July 2006, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My buyer's mortgage company, Nottingham are being difficult. The Freshford solicitor who is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is saying indemnity insurance will be fine but Nottingham are requiring a building regulation certificate. Why do Nottingham have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that Nottingham have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why Nottingham may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Freshford?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Freshford. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I'm buying my first flat in Freshford benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep advised me not inform my conveyancer about this extras as it could adversely affect my loan with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

As co-executor for the will of my uncle I am selling a house in Newport but I am based in Freshford. My solicitor (based 260 miles from merequires that I execute a statutory declaration prior to the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Freshford to witness this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Freshford based