I am only a couple days away from an exchange on a flat in Ambleside and my mum and dad have sent the exchange deposit to my conveyancing practitioner. I am now told that as the deposit has been received from someone other than me my property lawyer needs to make a notification to my mortgage company. Apparently, in also acting for the bank he must advise them that the balance of the purchase price is not just from me. I disclosed to the mortgage company regarding my parents' contribution when I applied for the mortgage, so is it really necessary for him to raise this?

The conveyancer is obliged to clarify with mortgage company to ensure that they know that the balance of the purchase price is not from your own funds. Your solicitor can only report this to your bank if you permit them to, failing which, your lawyer must cease to continue acting.

We are planning to move home in April. Will my conveyancing solicitor call the removal company on the day of completion. As an aside, can you put forward a removal company in Ambleside. Conveyancing lawyer was chosen before I stumbled across your page.

On the afternoon of completion you will need to pick up the keys from your selling agent however this should only happen when the previous owners conveyancers inform the agent that they acknowledge receipt of the completion payment and the keys can be passed over. Subsequently you will need to tell the removal men that you are ready to move in. We do not recommend a specific removal organisation but can assist you in locating a residential property solicitor in Ambleside or a firm with expertise in conveyancing in Ambleside.

We had instructed solicitors based in Ambleside on the Co-operative solicitor approved list. They have just billed me an additional amount for dealing with the Co-operative mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Co-operative?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your solicitor is entitled to levy a fee for this. The fee is not dictated by Co-operative but by your Ambleside conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Co-operative panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee and others do not.

I am expecting a DIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we are dependent on web based calculators (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Ambleside solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Ambleside solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.

I am purchasing my first flat in Ambleside with a mortgage from Skipton Building Society. The developers refused to budge the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my lawyer about this deal as it will jeopardize my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £235,500 and found one close by in Ambleside I like with amenity areas and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Ambleside for this price, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error purchasing a short lease?

Should you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Ambleside. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I invested in buying a garden flat in Ambleside, conveyancing having been completed June 2006. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Ambleside with an extended lease are worth £185,000. The ground rent is £65 charged once a year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2086

With only 61 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.