I am assisting my sister sell her property in Bourne. Will the conveyancing solicitor arrange an EPC or it is for the seller to see to?

After the abolition of HIPs, energy assessments was retained a mandatory part of selling a property. An EPC should be to hand before the property is marketed. This is not a task that conveyancers ordinarily organise. If you are using a Bourne conveyancing practitioner they might be able to arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with reputable local assessors

Is it the case that all Bourne CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the UBS conveyancing panel?

Some major lenders now utilise CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS membership however is no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the CML have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for solicitors wishing to remain on their approved list of firms.

I'm in the throws of looking at apartments in Bourne and I am now considering a potential offer. Is it too early to have a solicitor in place? I will be getting a mortgage with Virgin Money.

You should start obtaining conveyancing estimates from solicitors ASAP. After you have chosen your lawyer and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and forward their contact information on to the selling agent. As you are seeking a mortgage with Virgin Money, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel.

I own a terraced Victorian property in Bourne. Conveyancing practitioner acted for me and Chelsea Building Society. I did a free Land Registry search last week and I saw a couple of entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. Is it worth asking Chelsea Building Society to clarify?

You should read the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Bourne and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with buyers. You can also enquire as to the position with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the purchase.

I am buying my first flat in Bourne benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of additionals instead. The property agent advised me not inform my solicitor about the extras as it will jeopardize my loan with Barclays Direct. 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.

Should I use a Bourne conveyancing solicitor based in the location that I am buying? An old friend can carry out the legal work but they are based 300kilometers away.

The benefit of a high street Bourne conveyancing practice is that you can pop in to sign documents, deliver your identification documents and apply pressure on them if necessary. They will also have local knowledge which is a bonus. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If you know people who used your friend and in the main were impressed that should surpass using an unknown Bourne conveyancing lawyer just because they are round the corner.

I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Bourne. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Bourne are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Bourne in which case you should be shopping around for a Bourne conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Bourne, conveyancing was carried out 6 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable properties in Bourne with a long lease are worth £191,000. The ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2077

With 53 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £27,600 and £31,800 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.