We are acquiring a new build duplex in Kensal Green and my lawyer is informing me that she is duty bound to the mortgage company to reveal incentives from the developer. I am under pressure to exchange and my preference is not to delay deal. is my lawyer playing by the book?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your solicitor. A precondition to being on a mortgage company panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook provisions. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

My grandfather passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Kensal Green. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Clydesdale, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Where you intend to refinance then Clydesdale will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Clydesdale 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 Clydesdale 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 Clydesdale mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

I used Stirling Law several years past for my conveyancing in Kensal Green. I now require my papers however the law firm is no longer operating. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to help locate your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Kensal Green of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

About to purchase a new build apartment in Kensal Green. Conveyancing is daunting at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Kensal Green

Please supply evidence that the form of Lease proposed has been approved by the Land Registry. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? The Vendor must covenant to keep unoccupied units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease.

My partner has suggested that I instruct his conveyancing solicitors in Kensal Green. Should I use them?

No doubt the ideal way to choose a conveyancing solicitor is to get recommendations from friends or relatives who have previously instructed the conveyancer that you are contemplating using.