I am buying a property mortgage free in Wiveliscombe. I have lived for the last 15 years in Wiveliscombe. Conveyancing searches are expensive. Given that I know the area and road intimately must I have all the conveyancing searches?

If you not getting a mortgage, then all but one or two of the Wiveliscombe conveyancing searches are optional. Your conveyancer will try and sway you, perhaps strongly, that you should have searches completed, but he has a professional duty to take that path of advice. Do bear in mind; if you are intend to dispose of the house in the future, it will be of relevance to your future buyer what the searches reveal. Sometimes houses with functional issues can still show up adverse search results. A good conveyancing solicitor in Wiveliscombe will provide you some practical advice here.

A friend pointed out to me me that in purchasing a property in Wiveliscombe there may be various restrictions preventing external changes to a property. Is this right?

There are anumerous of properties in Wiveliscombe which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to external changes. Part of the conveyancing in Wiveliscombe should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I am currently in the process of buying my council flat in Wiveliscombe. I have a mortgage offer with Clydesdale. 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 Clydesdale, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Clydesdale conveyancing panel.

Our sealed bid on a house in Wiveliscombe has been agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on on an apartment, but it’s not yet tied up, and are looking at other properties in the pipeline. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Wiveliscombe. What should be my next step? When do I get the mortgage application with Co-operative started?

It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs too early (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Wiveliscombe conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you should ensure that your conveyancing practitioner is on the Co-operative conveyancing panel. As to the next stages this very much dictated by the uniqueness of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. During a rising market some home buyers will apply for the mortgage with Co-operative and pay for the valuation and only if it was satisfactory would they ask their property lawyer to press on with the conveyancing in Wiveliscombe.

Is it necessary to pay for insurance to cover chancel repairs when buying a property in Wiveliscombe?

Unless a previous purchase of the premises completed after 12 October 2013 you could assume that solicitors delivering conveyancing in Wiveliscombe to remain encouraging a chancel search and or insurance against a claim.

I am purchasing my first flat in Wiveliscombe with a loan from Platform Home Loans Ltd. The developers refused to budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The estate agent told me not inform my lawyer about this deal as it may put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Should I keep quiet?.

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.

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a property in Wiveliscombe prior to instructing solicitors. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold element to the property. Our surveyor has said that some lenders may refuse to give a loan on this type of property.

It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different requirements from Nationwide. If you e-mail us we can investigate further with the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are used to dealing with flying freeholds in Wiveliscombe. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.