My partner and I have arranged the release of further monies on our mortgage from Bank of Ireland as we intend to carry out improvements to our house in Wigston. Are we obliged to choose a nearby Wigston solicitor on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel to handle the paperwork?

Bank of Ireland would not normally instruct a member of their conveyancing panel to deal with the formalities. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the Bank of Ireland conveyancing panel.

We were going to get a DIP from Nottingham this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Nottingham recommend any Wigston solicitors on the Nottingham conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Wigston solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Nottingham conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Nottingham through the process.

My offer on a property in Wigston has been accepted, the owners do nevertheless have an associated purchase. The owners have offered on a flat, however it’s not yet agreed to, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have instructed a high street conveyancing solicitor in Wigston. What should be my next step? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with RBS?

It is usual to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (home loan application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then survey, Wigston conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you should ensure that your conveyancer is on the RBS approved list. As to the next stages this very much depends on the circumstances of your transaction, motivation for this property and on the state of the market. During a buoyant market many home buyers will apply for the mortgage with RBS and pay for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they pay their lawyer to press on with the conveyancing in Wigston.

My partner and I are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Wigston and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. Any local lawyer would know that there is no such problem. It does beg the question why the buyers are using a national conveyancing practice as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Wigston. We have lived in Wigston for 4 years we know of no issue. Should we contact our local Authority to obtain clarification that there is no issue.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer already. Are they able to advise? You should enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

I am purchasing a new build house in Wigston with the aid of help to buy. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The house builders rep told me not inform my lawyer about the side-deal as it may affect my mortgage with the bank. Is this normal?.

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.

Taking into account that I am about to spend over three hundred thousand on a house in Wigston I wish to talk to a solicitor about myhome move prior to giving the go ahead to the firm. Can this be arranged?

We could not agree more - it is our preference to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you first talking to the solicitor who will be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Wigston.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a case reference. The practices that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are provided with for your conveyancing in Wigston should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Wigston. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Wigston are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Wigston in which case you should be shopping around for a Wigston conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

Wigston Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

Does the lease have in excess of 90 years unexpired? Who manages the building? The best form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the lessees have control and even though a managing agent is frequently employed if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves.