I am purchasing a property in Kegworth. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Barclays have issued a mortgage offer so presumably this is not a concern to them. Why is my solicitor raising questions about the panel?

As you are obtaining a mortgage with Barclays your lawyer must follow the conveyancing instructions contained in Section 2 of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Barclays. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to Barclays where a lease does not comply with these provisions. The conditions relate to the installation of panels on properties countrywide and is not isolated to Kegworth.

Completion of my purchase has taken place for my property in Kegworth. Conveyancing was a necessary evil but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How do I make a complaint?

Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. We understand that complaints to a lender are sorted out 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 with full details of your complaint.

Having digested plenty of house buying guides, I note that they all recommend that you should get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Kegworth solicitor - who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. Your lawyer will not organise the survey but they may be able to put you in touch with a local one that they recommend. RICS offers a find a surveyor service (just google it) where you can search for a qualified surveyor by your Kegworth postcode. As you are getting a mortgage with Clydesdale, you could contact them to see if they have a list of approved surveyors in Kegworth.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to my home can not be found. The conveyancers who handled the conveyancing in Kegworth 4 years ago have long since closed. What do I do?

As long as you have a registered title the information relating to your proprietorship will be evidenced by the Land Registry with a Title Number. It is easy to perform a search at the Land Registry, identify your house and obtain up to date copies of the property title for less than a fiver. Where the title is Leasehold then the Land Registry will also normally retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be obtained for twenty pounds.

I'm buying a new build house in Kegworth with a mortgage from Platform Home Loans Ltd. The builders would not reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent told me not disclose to my solicitor about this deal as it could put at risk my loan with Platform Home Loans Ltd. Should I keep quiet?.

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 have been pointed in your direction by a number of selling agents in Kegworth to choose a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to offer your site over and above a competitor’s?

We don’t make any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission because members of the public would think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

We're new on the property ladder - had an offer accepted, yet the property agent advised that the seller will only issue a contract if we appoint the agent's preferred solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. My instinct tells me that we should use a family conveyancer who is accustomed to conveyancing in Kegworth

It is unlikely the sellers are driving this. Should the seller desire ‘a quick sale', taking such a hostile approach to a motivated buyer is going to damage their objectives. Try to communicate with the vendors directly and make sure they understand (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with finances in place © you are unencumbered (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you will continue to use your preferred Kegworth conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will give their estate agent a commission or hit his conveyancing thresholds set by HQ.