My aunt passed away 10 months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Tulse Hill. The house had a small mortgage left on it of around £8000. I want to transfer the title deeds into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Kent Reliance, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

If you intend to re-mortgage then Kent Reliance will require that you use a conveyancer on the Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance 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 Kent Reliance mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

My wife and I own a terraced Edwardian house in Tulse Hill. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Lloyds TSB Bank. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold under the matching address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should review the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Tulse Hill and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who completed the work.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Tulse Hill benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not reveal to my lawyer about the side-deal as it could adversely affect my loan with Coventry Building Society. 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.

My father has suggested that I use his conveyancing solicitors in Tulse Hill. Do I follow his advice?

No doubt it’s preferable to find a conveyancing solicitor is to have recommendations from friends or relatives who have used the solicitor you're are thinking of instructing.

I am just shy of a 10% deposit on my apartment purchase in Tulse Hill , but I still want to exchange. What can I do?

You can accept a lesser deposit. Most vendors will agree to a lesser deposit or even no deposit for a first time buyer or 100% mortgage. Be aware though that if you fail to complete you will still need to hand over a minimum of 10% of the purchase price regardless of how much deposit was agreed.

You can also agree a simultaneous exchange and completion as no deposit is required for this however neither party will be tied in until completion actually takes place and it can be risky if sellers change their mind at the last minute