I have given 8 weeks notice to my current landlord and must vacate my rented apartment in Southborough by 30/1/2025. Conveyancing for my house purchase has just started. Is it possible to complete in 4 weeks as don't want to have to move into temporary accommodation?

Generally one should not provide notice on a rental until you have exchanged. If you have not previously done so, notify to your solicitor and request that they chase the owners solicitors, try to an agreed time frame that everyone will look towards

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

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Southborough. 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 purchasing a new build house in Southborough with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep told me not inform my conveyancer about this extras as it will 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 was recommended by numerous estate agents in Southborough to choose a conveyancer using your seach tool. What’s the financial inducement for Estate Agents to promote your services over another?

We don’t make any referral fee for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because home movers will think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

My partner and I plan to buy our 1st house in Southborough. Conveyancing lawyer already selected. The financial consultant suggested that a survey is not appropriate as the house was only built in 2001.

At the very least you should have a Home Buyer's Report. As the residence is over ten years old the property will not come with a warranty, so you would be well advised not to take a risk. Where a property of this age shows no signs of defects a Home Buyer's report may be enough. They will highlight any obvious issues and recommend further investigation if relevant. Where there are any indications of material issues get a comprehensive structural survey.