Please could you vouch for a TSB approved Atherstone conveyancing practice who can have us moved in within less than a month? Am I best advised to go for a local Atherstone conveyancer or a factory type comparison site?

We would be happy to suggest some excellent Atherstone conveyancing firms. Another option is to visit the high street in Atherstone. Go in to a couple of law practices and request to see a conveyancing solicitor for a fee estimate. Explain your expectations together with the reasons and get an assurance on speed. Appoint the lawyer that genuine.

The Atherstone conveyancing firm that just started acting on my purchase in Atherstone have suddenly shut down. I only went with them because I had to have a firm on the UBS conveyancing panel and my preferred Atherstone lawyer was not. I wrote them a cheque for two hundred pounds in advance. What should be my next steps?

If you have an estate agent involved then inform them immediately so that they advise the vendors that there may be a slight delay due to the problems encountered. Hopefully they will be sympathetic and urge their lawyer to send a new set of papers to your new solicitors. You should appoint new lawyers that are on the UBS conveyancing panel and notify the lender. If you have paid over any money, it will hopefully be held by the SRA as money in an intervened firm's bank accounts is transferred to the SRA. Then, the SRA or the intervention agent looks at the intervened firm's accounts to work out who the money belongs to. To claim your money you will need to contact the SRA. If the SRA cannot return money you are owed from the firm's bank accounts, or if they can only return part of the money, you can apply to the Compensation Fund for a grant. Your new lawyers may be able to help.

I just bought a property at auction in Atherstone. Conveyancing is required. What happens now?

Given that you have now exchanged you should choose a conveyancing practitioner quickly as you now have a pending deadline in which to complete the conveyancing. An auction property should have a corresponding legal set of papers. This should include most,if not all of the documents that your solicitor requires. If you have purchased leasehold premises the auction papers may contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and associated conveyancing paperwork relating to a leasehold property. You must hand this to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. You also need to ensure that you have funds in place to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

Does a directory service exist listing Aldermore panel conveyancers in Atherstone on the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such facility on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. Very few mortgage companies make their panel listings viewable on the web. Where you are seeking to appoint a Atherstone solicitor on the Aldermore please use our facility.

I have a mortgage with Kent Reliance for my property in Atherstone. Conveyancing has been completed 12 months ago. Should I wish to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Kent Reliance?

Your original mortgage agreement with Kent Reliance will provide that you need their approval in advance of letting out your property as this is likely to be a breach of Kent Reliance’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will permit you to let out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Kent Reliance directly. You need not do this via a Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor.

A relative recommended that where I am buying in Atherstone I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is usually quoted for as part of the standard Atherstone conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and detailing important information about Atherstone around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Atherstone Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Local Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Atherstone.

I'm purchasing my first flat in Atherstone benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not inform my solicitor about this deal as it could impact my mortgage 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.