We went with a high street firm for my conveyancing in Johnstown yesterday. Upon checking the Ts and Cs I seeI am on the hook for costs even if the dealfalls through. Would I be best advised to appoint a web based lawyer who offer no move no charge conveyancing in Johnstown?

It is usually a trade off in that if "No Sale No Fee" is advertised then the fee levels will tend to be be more expensive to offset the transactions that do not proceed. You should be mindful that these arrangements tend not to protect you from disbursements e.g. Johnstown conveyancing search expenses.

A friend suggested that if I am purchasing in Johnstown I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

A search of this type is sometimes quoted for as part of the standard Johnstown conveyancing searches. It is a large document of more than thirty pages, listing and setting out significant information about Johnstown around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Johnstown Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime details, Johnstown Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Johnstown.

I am buying a new build flat in Johnstown. 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 legal work.

Here is a sample of a few leasehold new build enquiries that you can expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Johnstown

Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents. The Lease must contain a provision on behalf of the Vendor to pay the service charges in respect of unoccupied units in order to ensure that all services can be provided. There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Has the Lease plan been approved by the Land Registry and if not when will they be lodged for this purpose? Please supply a car parking plan.

I have been recommended by a few estate agents in Johnstown to locate a property lawyer on your site. Is there a financial inducement for Estate Agents to recommend your lawyers rather than alternative conveyancing organisations?

We don’t offer any financial incentive for pointing buyers and sellers in our direction. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as a client could think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not receiving any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

When it comes to my conveyancing in Johnstown should I be charged VAT on the following: (1) Land reg fee on purchase (2) Pre - completion search fee (3) SDLT E submission on purchase (4) Bank TT fee

(1) Land reg fee on purchase - No (2) Pre - completion search fees -No, (such conveyancing searches are HMLR ones and means £4 and possibly £2 bankruptcy per name on your mortgage) (3) SDLT E submission on your purchase - There is no VAT on Stamp Duty. However if the firm is charging a stamp duty e-submission fee as part of their services - some Johnstown conveyancers do - that will incur VAT(4) Bank transfer fee - Yes it is for the property lawyer's time in submitting the funds this way.