Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our property are lost. The conveyancers who dealt with the conveyancing in Scunthorpe 4 years ago have long since closed. What are my options?

Assuming the title is registered the information relating to your proprietorship will be evidenced by the Land Registry with a Title Number. It is easy to execute a search at the Land Registry, identify your property and obtain current copies of the Registered Entries for a small fee. Where the property is Leasehold then the Land Registry will in most cases retain a file duplicate of the Registered Lease and again, a copy can be retrieved for a small fee.

I'm buying my first flat in Scunthorpe with the aid of help to buy. The developers refused to reduce the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it may adversely affect my loan with The Royal Bank of Scotland. 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.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I have offered on two weeks back in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Scunthorpe is the location of the property. Can you offer any assistance?

Flying freeholds in Scunthorpe are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Scunthorpe you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Scunthorpe may decide 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 new to the buying process - agreed a price, yet the property agent told us that the seller will only move forward if we instruct the agent's recommended conveyancers as they need an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a local solicitor accustomed to conveyancing in Scunthorpe

It is highly unlikely the sellers are behind this. If they desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a serious purchaser is not the way to achieve this. Speak to the vendors direct and explain that (a)you are serious purchasers (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you will continue to use your preferred Scunthorpe conveyancing solicitors - as opposed tothe ones that will earn the negotiator at the agency a referral fee or achieve conveyancing thresholds demanded by corporate headquarters.

Last June I purchased a leasehold property in Scunthorpe. Do I have any liability for 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 lessee 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. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure 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).

Scunthorpe Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

The prefered form of lease structure is where the freehold reversion is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the lessees benefit from control and although a managing agent is usually retained if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. Is the freehold owned collectively by the tenants?