I do hope you can help me. My Christchurch lawyer is assuring me that he is legally obliged toapply for Christchurch conveyancing searches stemming from the fact thatthe firm are on the HSBCsolicitor panel. Is my solicitor correct?

Unfortunately both you and your lawyer have little choice here. Given that you are taking out a loan with a mortgage company your conveyancer has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your lawyer would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your bank’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to follow the CML Handbook provisions . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Christchurch conveyancing searches.

My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Christchurch. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Bank of Ireland, pay off the mortgage. Is this allowed?

Given you plan to re-mortgage then Bank of Ireland will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Bank of Ireland mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Just had an offer accepted on a new build apartment in Christchurch. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. Can you give me some examples of some of the questions asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you should expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Christchurch

Please supply a car parking plan. Will control of the Management Company (if any) be handed over to purchasers on completion of the last sale or earlier? Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Vendor must covenant to keep unsold units in good repair until long leases are granted therefore. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision.

I opted to have a survey completed on a house in Christchurch in advance of instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the house. Our surveyor has said that some lenders tend not grant a loan on such a premises.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Bank of Scotland has different instructions from Halifax. If you e-mail us we can look into this further with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Christchurch. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

We are in the middle of purchasing a residence in Christchurch. Conveyancing solicitor has called to say the title is "Leasehold". Should this make a difference on our Santander valuation?

Christchurch conveyancing does not normally involve leasehold houses. The crucial consideration here is the length of lease and the ground rent. If it's 999 years with a peppercorn rent, it's virtually freehold, so it’s unlikely to impact the marketability too much.

At the other end of the spectrum, if it's, say, fifty five years it will have a significant effect on the saleability, and most likely wouldn't be mortgageable. The remaining lease term and ground rent will be stated in the lease provided to your lawyer.