My partner and I are purchasing a ground floor flat in North Somerset. My Conveyancer is not on the lender solicitor list. Is it possible for me to retain my North Somerset conveyancing solicitor even though they are excluded from the bank panel?

You have numerous choices available to you here

• Proceed with your existing North Somerset lawyer but your bank will need to use a solicitor from their approved list. This will result in additional cost and potential frustration.
• Appoint a fresh solicitor to act in the purchase, making sure they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to seek to join the mortgage company panel

I'm purchasing my first flat in North Somerset with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not budge the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The sale representative told me not inform my conveyancer about the side-deal as it will adversely affect my mortgage with Halifax. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

What makes your site different to other online quote calculators for conveyancing in North Somerset?

At this site get an accurate quote from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that has a full understanding of the issues for your conveyancing in North Somerset. Unlike many estate agents and brokerage sites we do not have commission deals with solicitors. Some agents and online brokers 'recommend' the firm that pays the highest kickback, not the best value conveyancing in North Somerset

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a North Somerset conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a North Somerset conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non North Somerset conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. The following questions could be useful:

Can they put you in touch with clients in North Somerset who can give a testimonial?

I acquired a 2 bed flat in North Somerset, conveyancing formalities finalised April 2008. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Equivalent properties in North Somerset with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease ceases on 21st October 2077

With just 52 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £29,500 and £34,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

There are a lot of properties in North Somerset on private lanes. We are buying such a house. What are the pros and cons of buying a house on a private road?

North Somerset conveyancing firms will be familiar with transacting propertieson unadopted roads. Your conveyancing practitioner should investigate title to find any rights or responsibilities. It is possible that there is a residents association that owners make annual payments for the upkeep of the road. If one exists, the road will likely be maintained and appear better than publicly maintained.