After what seems like an age a mortgage offer from HSBC for the remortgage of my 4 room maisonette is to be issued by the end of next week. Can you put forward a low cost conveyancing practitioner in Riddlesdown?

This site is not designed to help those in their quest for a cheap conveyancing solicitors in Riddlesdown. Our aim is to provide excellent value conveyancing but we do not advertise as being the cheapest. Avoid the trap of appointing brokers seducing you with £99 conveyancing in Riddlesdown. Optimistically, in being led by cheap conveyancing, you will get your money’s worth and at worst it will result in you being stung for additional fees and still not end up with the service expected.

AssumingI was to buy a freehold homein Riddlesdown mortgage fee and dispense with a survey and no local authority searches how much would I expect to to save on my conveyancing in Riddlesdown?

Any savings you would make will be isolated to the disbursement for searches. The property lawyer is obliged to do the vast majority of work - money laundering, correspond with your sellers solicitor, SDLT return, register the title etc. A marginal saving might be made by not having to register a mortgage however it will not be meaningful.

I have a decision in principle. The bank mentioned the mortgage came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to instruct their panel conveyancer as I would much rather appoint a Riddlesdown based conveyancing firm?

You should check but the the likelihood is that appoint one of their panel lawyers should you want the "fee-free" offer. Contact the mortgage company to ask if they make available a cash alternative. Some lenders have previously offered a £250 cashback as an alternative in which case that money can go towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor near Riddlesdown.

I am helping my niece sell her flat in Riddlesdown. Will the conveyancer arrange the energy performance certificate or it is for the owner to coordinate?

Following the demise of Home Packs, energy performance certificates became a compulsory element of selling a property. An energy assessment should be commissioned before the property is advertised. This is not as aspect of the sale process that solicitors normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Riddlesdown conveyancing practitioner they may be able to arrange energy performance certificates given their contacts with long established Riddlesdown assessors

Is it the case that all Riddlesdown conveyancing solicitors on the Nationwide conveyancing panel are governed by the SRA?

As solicitors, in order to be on the Nationwide approved list of solicitors they would need to be regulated by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Some mortgage companies do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel in which case such firms would be regulated by the Council of Licensed Conveyancers.

The formalities of my remortgage has taken place for my property in Riddlesdown. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

All banks and building societies have complaints procedures. Your first port of call should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Services Department at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel 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 buying a new build apartment in Riddlesdown. Conveyancing is a frightening process at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build legal work.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Riddlesdown

Please confirm the Lease plans are architect prepared. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal.