Our grandson is buying a newly built flat in Barnehurst with a mortgage from HSBC. His lawyer has advised him of a delay in completing the ‘Disclosure of Incentive Form’. What is this document - I have never come across this before?

The form is intended to provide information to the main parties engaged in the transaction. Therefore, it will be provided to your son’s lawyer who should be on the HSBC conveyancing panel as a standard part of the process, and to the valuer when asked. The developer will be required to start the process by downloading the form and completing it. The form will therefore need to be available for the valuer at the time of his or her site visit. The form should be sent to the HSBC conveyancing panel solicitor as early as possible, in order to avoid any last minute delays, and no later than at exchange of contracts.

Can you explain why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Barnehurst is more expensive?

Barnehurst leasehold properties involve far more paperwork than a freehold purchase, and therefore takes more time to examine and advise upon.Conveyancing will involve the lease having to be checked which is usually a lengthy document, queries raised to ensure that the covenants and conditions have been observed. If it is a flat there will be a management company in existence and the accounts of this will need to be checked and enquiries raised to ensure it is operating efficiently and that all monies due have been paid by the Seller to the company and if not ensuring that money is paid up to date or the appropriate undertakings obtained.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Barnehurst benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not reveal to my lawyer about this deal as it could impact 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.

Due to the encouragement of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Barnehurst prior to appointing solicitors. I have been informed that there is a flying freehold overhang to the property. Our surveyor advised that some banks may refuse to grant a mortgage on such a property.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different instructions for example to Nationwide. If you contact us we can investigate further with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Barnehurst. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Barnehurst to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.

Is it possible to change firm as I need to appoint a firm on the HSBC Bank conveyancing panel. I had appointed a local conveyancing solicitor in Barnehurst five minutes from me but the firm is not accepted by HSBC Bank

We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Barnehurst on the HSBC Bank panel. Please note that the solicitors that we work with do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are fully regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Barnehurst. In making use of the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can compare costs for conveyancing solicitors in Barnehurst and throughout England and Wales.