All was ready to move into my new home in Nelson next Friday. I have now been asked to send a copy of my building insurance schedule by my solicitor as as she informs me that she is duty bound to validate that it is in order for the lender. What does the insurance need to cover?

Any lawyer on acting for mortgage companies would need to check that the following risks are covered fire; lightning; aircraft; explosion; earthquake; storm; flood; escape of water or oil; riot; malicious damage; theft or attempted theft; falling trees and branches and aerials; subsidence; heave;landslip;collision;accidental damage to underground services;professional fees, demolition and site clearance costs; and public liability to anyone else. There are some other issues such as the level of excess that are set out in a lender’s Part 2 conditions. These obligations are not specific to conveyancing in Nelson.

In what way does my ID and proof of funds have anything to do with my conveyancing in Nelson? What am I being asked for?

You are right in these requests have nothing to do with conveyancing in Nelson. However these days you can not proceed with any conveyancing process without first providing proof of your identity. Ordinarily this takes the form of a either your passport or driving licence plus a council tax bill. Please note that if you are providing your driving licence as evidence of identification it needs to be both the paper element as well as the photo card part, one is not satisfactory in the absence of the other.

Proof of your origin of monies is mandated under Money Laundering Regulations. Please do not be offended when when this is requested of you as your lawyer must retain this information on record. Your Nelson conveyancing lawyer will require evidence of proof of funds prior to accepting any monies from you into their client account and they will also ask further questions concerning the origin of funds.

I'm buying a new build house in Nelson benefiting from help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not to tell my solicitor about this extras as it may affect my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.

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.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a simple, no chain conveyancing. Nelson is where the house is located. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Nelson are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Nelson you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Nelson may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold property.

My fiance is buying a ground floor flat in Nelson. He has received a fee estimate by the solicitor recommended by the estate agents and it came to £1385 . It was ten years ago I sold and bought a house and the bill was £495. Have costs really escalated to that extent?

We would recommend that you call a few local Nelson conveyancing solicitors requesting prices. You should base your decision not only on cost, but on promptness and on how comprehensive the response was.