We are buying a flat in Penzance. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to deposit funds into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our deposit?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

When it comes to mortgage companies such as Santander, do Penzance solicitors face a yearly amount to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are not aware of any mortgage company fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do charge an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel submission.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Penzance off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Coventry BS. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Coventry BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel.

Should commercial conveyancing searches disclose planned roadworks that may affect a commercial land in Penzance?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Penzance will conduct a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers invest in looking into accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Penzance. The search result sets out definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Penzance.

For each commercial conveyancing transaction in Penzance it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could result in delays to Penzance commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not carried out for domestic conveyancing in Penzance.

I'm buying my first flat in Penzance with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to budge the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The sale representative told me not disclose to my lawyer about this extras as it would put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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.

How difficult is it to swap conveyancer as I need to select one who is on the Bank of Scotland conveyancing list. I hired a local conveyancing solicitor in Penzance five minutes from me but the firm is not approved by Bank of Scotland

It would be our pleasure to help you find a conveyancing solicitor in Penzance on the Bank of Scotland panel. Please note that the law firms that we work with do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who oversee all conveyancing solicitors in Penzance. Using search facility on this website, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Penzance.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Penzance what are the most frequent lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Penzance. Most leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

Insurance obligations A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the building

You will have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Birmingham Midshires, Leeds Building Society, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Penzance, conveyancing formalities finalised March 2005. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Penzance with a long lease are worth £197,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2079

With 55 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £31,400 and £36,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.