I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance when buying a house in Sea Mills. My lender is The Mortgage Works

The Mortgage Works have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 25/2/2025, the requirements read as follows :

I just acquired a house at auction in Sea Mills. Conveyancing is needed. What are my next steps?

Having exchanged you now have to instruct a conveyancing lawyer as a matter of priority as you are facing a tight a fixed date to complete the property. Every auction property will ordinarily have an associated legal set of papers. This should include most,if not all of the paperwork that your lawyer will need. Where you are dealing with leasehold property the auction pack may contain a copy of the lease, management information and a sellers leasehold information form and other conveyancing documentation relating to a leasehold property. You need to pass this on to your appointed conveyancing solicitor as soon as possible. Do make sure that that you have the requisite funding in order to complete the transaction on the set completion date.

We have a mortgage agreed in principle with Skipton. Sea Mills conveyancing solicitors are instructed. How long does it take for Skipton to forward the offer to the conveyancing practitioner?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Skipton conducted the survey? Have you advised Skipton as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Skipton conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

Having read lots of mortgage guides, I note that it is considered advisable to get your house surveyed prior to buying it. When I asked my local Sea Mills solicitor - who is on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel - on this she said they don't do this and I need to contract an independent surveyor. Is that normal?

Clydesdale will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Clydesdale will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Sea Mills surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

I am buying a new build house in Sea Mills benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent told me not disclose to my conveyancer about this side-deal as it would put at risk my mortgage with Skipton Building Society. 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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and found one round the corner in Sea Mills I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. There is not much else in Sea Mills suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a lease with such few years left?

Should you require a home loan that many years may be a potential deal breaker. Discount the price by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you could ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

If instructed can a conveyancer remove someone from the title of my home in Sea Mills ?

Removing or adding someone to the title of your house is relatively straightforward. You’ll need to appoint a property lawyer to discuss your legal rights before you can proceed with a transfer of property. Contact us to book a free consultation with one a solicitor