Me and my fiance are purchasing property in Bedlington. My Conveyancer has never been on on the lender solicitor list. Can I still continue with my Bedlington conveyancing solicitor notwithstanding that they are not on the lender approved list?

One must instruct a lawyer to deal with the legal work required if you take out a loan to purchase your property. The solicitor will conduct all the essential due diligence on the property, ensuring that you will be registered as proprietor and ensure that all the necessary mortgage documentation is dealt with. One could appoint a Bedlington conveyancing practitioner of your choosing. However, where the lawyer appointed is not on the mortgage company conveyancing panel further charges will arise as separate legal representation will be need by the mortgage company. Lender panel applications may be submitted, so where your solicitor has not previously applied for membership they can do so.

I happen to be the sole beneficiary of my late mum's estate with all property in now in my sole name, including the house in Bedlington. The Bedlington property was put into my name in November. I want to move. I understand that there is a CML 6 month 'rule', meaning my proprietorship may be treated the same way as if I'd bought the house in November. Do I have to wait half a year to sell?

The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ handbook mandates solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." Technically you could be impacted by that. many lenders would take a pragmatic view as this obligation principally exists to capture subsales or the wholesaling and assigning of property.

Can you point me to a directory of Bank of Ireland panel conveyancers in Bedlington on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association websites. Very few lending institutions make their panel listings available on the web. If you are seeking to appoint a Bedlington conveyancing practitioner on the Bank of Ireland please make the most of our tool.

is it true that all Bedlington solicitor practices on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel are governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority?

As solicitors, in order to be on the Coventry BS approved list of solicitors they would need to be governed by the Solicitors Regulatory Authority. Many mortgage companies do allow licenced conveyancers on their panel and in that case the organisation would be overseen by the CLC.

I am buying my first flat in Bedlington with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not reveal to my conveyancer about the extras as it will impact my mortgage with Accord Mortgages Ltd. 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.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my father I am disposing of a property in Monmouth but reside in Bedlington. My lawyer (approximately 200 miles from meneeds me to sign a statutory declaration prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing practitioner in Bedlington to attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you should not need to have the documents witnessed by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Bedlington based

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agent office in Bedlington where we see a number of flat sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received conflicting advice from local Bedlington conveyancing solicitors. Could you clarify whether the seller of a flat can commence the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

I purchased a leasehold flat in Bedlington, conveyancing having been completed May 2008. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable flats in Bedlington with an extended lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2095

With 71 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.