My husband and I are intent on purchasing property in Guildford. My Conveyancer has never been on on the bank conveyancing list. Is it possible for me to appoint my Guildford conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the bank panel of approved conveyancing solicitors?
Your options include
- Carry on with your preferred Guildford lawyer but your bank will undoubtedly use a property lawyer on their approved panel. This will result in additional fees together with potential frustration.
- Get a new conveyancer to conduct the conveyancing, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
- Convince your conveyancing practitioner to attempt to join the mortgage company panel
I am purchasing a property for cash in Guildford. I have been residing for the last dozen years in Guildford. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I know the area and road very well must I have all the conveyancing searches?
In the absence of a home loan, then all but one or two of the Guildford conveyancing searches are non-obligatory. Your conveyancer will try and steer you, no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches completed, but she has a professional duty to do this. Do bear in mind; if you are likely to dispose of the house one day, it may be of relevance to your prospective purchaser what the searches determine. There are plenty of instances where houses with functional issues can still reveal negative search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Guildford should be able to give you some helpful guidance concerning this.
I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Guildford. My lender is Chelsea Building Society
Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 30/7/2026, the requirements read as follows :
I am helping my niece sell her house in Guildford. Does the solicitor arrange the energy assessment or do I organise this?
After the demise of HIPs, energy assessments was kept a mandatory component of selling a property. An energy assessment should be commissioned before the property is put on the market. This is not a task that conveyancers ordinarily arrange. If you are using a Guildford conveyancing solicitor they may help arrange energy assessments given their relationships with reputable local assessors
My wife and I buying a end of terrace house in Guildford. We would like to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve investigations to determine if these alterations were previously refused?
Your conveyancer should review the registered title as conveyancing in Guildford can sometimes reveal restrictions in the title deeds which restrict categories of changes or need the permission of another owner. Many works require local authority planning consent and approval in compliance with building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.
Our sealed bid on a property in Guildford has been agreed to, the vendors do however have a tied purchase. The vendors have offered on on an apartment, however it’s not yet tied up, and have viewings of other flats booked. I have instructed a nearby conveyancing solicitor in Guildford. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Nationwide started?
It is understandable to have apprehensions where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket too early (home loan application is approx £1k, then valuation, Guildford conveyancing search costs, etc). First, you must check that your conveyancer is on the Nationwide approved list. As to the next phase this very much depends on the uniqueness of your transaction, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a rising market the majority of home buyers would apply for a home loan with Nationwide and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their lawyer to proceed with the conveyancing in Guildford.
I am buying my first flat in Guildford with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to move on the price so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not inform my conveyancer about the side-deal as it would adversely affect my loan with Leeds Building Society. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.
All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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 input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Guildford before retaining lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the property. The surveyor has said that some banks will refuse to give a loan on such a premises.
It depends who your proposed lender is. Santander has different requirements for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can check via the appropriate bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Guildford. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Guildford to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.