Some advice if I may. My Cimla lawyer is informing me me that he is legally obliged toorder Cimla conveyancing searches becausethe firm are on the HSBCapproved lawyer panel. Is my solicitor right?

You have limited options available to you. Given that you are taking out a loan with a lender your solicitor has to comply with their conditions as set out in their version of the CML Conveyancing Handbook. Your conveyancing practitioner would have previously signed the Terms and Conditions of your lender’s conveyancing panel appointment which obliges them to comply with the Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook specifications . Even if you were a cash buyer you would be ill advised not to carry out Cimla conveyancing searches.

I am purchasing a detached bungalow in Cimla. We would like to carry out an extension to the side at the house.Will the conveyancing process involve investigations to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your solicitor should check the registered title as conveyancing in Cimla can on occasion reveal restrictions in the title documents which prohibit certain alterations or need the permission of a 3rd party. Many works require local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Many locations are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or impact extensions. It would be sensible to check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I am due to exchange contracts on my flat. I had a double glazing fitted in March 2008, but did not receive a FENSA certificate or Building Regulation Certificate. My purchaser’s lender, TSB are being a right pain. The Cimla solicitor who is on the TSB conveyancing panel is recommending indemnity insurance as a solution but TSB are insisting on a building regulation certificate. Why do TSB have a conveyancing panel if they don't accept advice from them?

It is probably the case that TSB have referred the matter to their valuer. The reason why TSB may not want to accept indemnity insurance is because it does not give them any reassurance that the double glazing was correctly and safely installed. The indemnity insurance merely protects against enforcement action which is very unlikely anyway.

I was told three weeks ago that my mortgage has been agreed to by Bank of Ireland. Is it usual for Bank of Ireland to only issue the offer once my solicitor in Cimla is approved on their conveyancing panel? Bank of Ireland have asked my solicitor to see a copy of their Professional Indemnity Insurance Schedule.

Mortgage companies tend not to not issue an offer until they have details of a lawyer on their panel. It can take a few weeks for Bank of Ireland to deal with your lawyer's application to be on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel. There's no guarantee that your solicitor will be accepted.

I acquired my flat on 11 February and my personal details is yet to be on the land registry website. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Cimla advises it should be dealt with in a couple of weeks. Are properties in Cimla particularly slow to register?

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Cimla registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ according to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry need to notify any 3rd persons or bodies. Currently roughly 80% of submission are completed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Historically registration is effected after the buyer is living at the property so an expedited registration is not usually top priority yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor must contact the land registry and explain the circumstances.

How does conveyancing in Cimla differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build property in Cimla come to us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because house builders in Cimla tend to buy the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are used to new build conveyancing in Cimla or who has acted in the same development.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Cimla with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Cimla can be avoided where you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
Some Cimla leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers. You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this via your lawyers. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to where the remaining number of years is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale. If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where a dispute is unsettled. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over rather than unresolved.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Cimla - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

What is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the apartment? This question is important as a) areas can cause problems in the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will need to have all the details