I am acquiring a property for cash in Pangbourne. I have lived for the previous 20 years in Pangbourne. Conveyancing searches are exorbitant. As I know the road and vicinity intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?

Provided that you do not need a home loan, then almost all of the Pangbourne conveyancing searches are optional. Your solicitor will 'advise', no-doubt strongly, that you should have searches carried out, but he is duty bound to take that path of advice. One thing to take into account; if you are likely to dispose of the house one day, it will be of importance to your prospective buyer what the searches contain. Sometimes properties with no practical issues can still show up unfavourable search results. A competent conveyancing solicitor in Pangbourne will be able to give you some constructive guidance in this regard.

Can you help - my lawyer says that restrictive coveneant insurance is needed on my purchase. What is the level of cover for Pangbourne conveyancing?

The appropriate level of restrictive coveneant indemnity insurance depends on your lender. It would differ for example between Barclays and Skipton Building Society. Conveyancing lawyers as opposed to members of the public take out such policies.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Pangbourne. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

All lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. In most cases complaints to a lender are resolved effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service who will take matters further.

Skipton have agreed my mortgage in principle, my offer on a flat in Pangbourne has been accepted, what happens next?

Your property agent will need to be informed of your solicitor's details (ensure that the solicitors are on the lender’s panel). Call up Skipton or the broker and complete any appropriate forms. Skipton will appoint a valuer who will get in contact with the estate agent or seller to book an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes on average a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Skipton will issue the offer to you and your solicitors. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Pangbourne.

What does a local search reveal regarding the house we're buying in Pangbourne?

Pangbourne conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for example PSG The local search is essential in every Pangbourne conveyancing purchase; that is if you wish to avoid any nasty once you have moved into your property. The search will reveal information on, amongst other things, details on planning applications relevant to the premises (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 subject headings.

My wife and I own a terraced Georgian house in Pangbourne. Conveyancing solicitor represented me and The Mortgage Works. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are a couple of entries: the first freehold, the second leasehold with the exact same address. Is it worth asking The Mortgage Works to clarify?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Pangbourne and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they buy they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with lenders. You can also enquire as to the position with your conveyancing solicitor who conducted the purchase.

The estate agent has sent us the confirmation of our purchase of a new build flat in Pangbourne. Conveyancing is daunting 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.

Set out below are examples of a few leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Pangbourne

There must be mutual enforceability of lessee’s covenants. Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where there is an Undertaking being granted there is the risk of forfeiture of the Headlease subject to relief if one or more of the Underlessees are willing to accept the original Head Lessee’s obligations as otherwise relief will be denied to the Underlessees. The only alternatives are the Head Lessor agreeing not to forfeit the Headlease or the Head Lessee guaranteeing to the Underlessees that it will not be in breach of the Headlease. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.