Is the fact that my solicitor in Hailsham is not identified on my bank's solicitor panel that there is a problem with the standard of her work?

That is most likely an incorrect assumption to make. There are plenty of plausible explanations. Just recently a report by the solicitors regulator indicated that over three quarters of law firms surveyed had been removed from at least one lender panel. The most common reasons for removal are: (1) lack of transactions (2) the lawyer is a sole practitioner (3) as part of the HSBC panel reduction (4) regulatory contact by SRA (5) accidental removal. Should you be concerned you should contact the Hailsham conveyancing firm and enquire why they are no longer on the approved list for your bank.

My uncle passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Hailsham. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Nottingham, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

If you plan to re-mortgage then Nottingham will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Nottingham conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Nottingham mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

I am buying my first flat in Hailsham with a loan from The Mortgage Works. The developers would not move on the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The sale representative told me not disclose to my lawyer about the side-deal as it may jeopardize my loan with the bank. 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've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a house I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Hailsham is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Hailsham are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Hailsham you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Hailsham may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

We're new to the buying process - agreed a price, yet the estate agent told us that the vendor will only proceed if we appoint the agent's chosen conveyancers as they need a ‘quick sale’. We would rather use a local conveyancer who is familiar with conveyancing in Hailsham

We suspect that the seller is unaware of this demand. Should the seller require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is likely to cause more damage than good. Avoid the agents and go straight to the owners and make the point that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you do not need to sell (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you will continue to instruct your preferred Hailsham conveyancing solicitors - as opposed tothose that will provide their estate agent a introducer fee or achieve conveyancing thresholds set by head office.