I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Mayfield. My lender is Chelsea Building Society
Chelsea Building Society have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 26/2/2026, the requirements read as follows :
A relative recommended that if I am purchasing in Mayfield I should ask my conveyancer to carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?
This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Mayfield conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out important information about Mayfield around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Mayfield Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Mayfield.
I am purchasing a new build house in Mayfield with a mortgage from The Mortgage Works. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with The Mortgage Works. Is this normal?.
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 opted to have a survey done on a house in Mayfield in advance of retaining lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold overhang to the house. Our surveyor has said that some mortgage companies will not give a mortgage on this type of house.
It depends who your proposed lender is. HSBC has different instructions from Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can investigate further via the relevant mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Mayfield. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Mayfield especially if they are acquainted with such properties in Mayfield.
How difficult is it to transfer to a new firm as I need to retain one who is on the Halifax conveyancing list. I was using a local conveyancing solicitor in Mayfield round the corner but he is not approved by Halifax
It would be our pleasure to help you select a conveyancing solicitor in Mayfield on the Halifax panel. Please note that the property lawyers that we on the directory do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are regulated by the SRA who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Mayfield. Using the find a conveyancing solicitor tool on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Mayfield.
My father-in-law has suggested that I instruct his lawyers for conveyancing in Mayfield. Should I use them?
No doubt the ideal way to find a conveyancing solicitor is to have feedback from friends or family who have actually used the firm that you are contemplating using.