Various internet forums that I have visited warn that are the primary reason for hinderance in Sacriston house deals. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published determinations of a review by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the common causes of delays in the conveyancing process. Local searches are not likely to be the root cause of slowing down conveyancing in Sacriston.

I'm buying a new build house in Sacriston benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The house builders rep told me not reveal to my lawyer about this deal as it will jeopardize my loan with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Sacriston is the location of the property. Can you offer any guidance?

Flying freeholds in Sacriston are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Sacriston you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Sacriston may ascertain 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 premises.

We're first time buyers - agreed a price, yet the property agent advised that the owners will only go ahead if we appoint the agent's preferred solicitors as they need a ‘quick sale’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor who is accustomed to conveyancing in Sacriston

We suspect that the seller is unaware of this ultimatum. Should the vendor desire ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine buyer is not the way to achieve this. Speak to the owners direct and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are ready to go, with mortgage lined up © you are chain free (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)but you are going to appoint your own,trusted Sacriston conveyancing solicitors - not the ones that will give their negotiator at the agency a introducer fee or meet his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by HQ.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Sacriston. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I bought a split level flat in Sacriston, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2007. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent flats in Sacriston with an extended lease are worth £195,000. The ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2089

With just 64 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £14,300 and £16,400 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.