It is is a decade since I acquired my house in Alnmouth. Conveyancing solicitors have now been instructed on the sale but I can't find the title documents. Will this cause complications?

Don’t worry too much. Firstly there is a possibility that the deeds will be kept by your lender or they could be in the possession of the solicitor who handled your purchase. Secondly the chances are that the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to establish that you own the property by your conveyancing lawyers procuring current official copies of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Alnmouth involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your property is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is not insurmountable.

My relative advised me that where I am buying in Alnmouth I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. Can you explain what the purpose of this search is?

This is a search is sometimes included in the estimate for your Alnmouth conveyancing searches. It is not a small document of about 40 pages, listing and detailing significant information about Alnmouth around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the Alnmouth Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime details, Alnmouth Education with maps and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Alnmouth.

I am purchasing a new build house in Alnmouth with the aid of help to buy. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated 6k of additionals instead. The property agent told me not reveal to my solicitor about the side-deal as it could affect my loan with the lender. 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 be suspicious about brokers that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a factory type conveyancing firm rather than a local Alnmouth conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of professional services, often input from family and friends can be most helpful. Yet there are lots of players in a conveyancing transaction; estate agents, financial adviser and mortgage companies might all recommend conveyancers to choose. On occasion the solicitors might be known to one of the organisations as one of the best in their field, but occasionally there might be a commercial relationship behind the recommendation. You are free to choose your own lawyer. However, bear in mind that most lenders have an approved list of law firms you have to use for the mortgage aspect of your house move.

I am one month into a leasehold purchase having been referred to conveyancers by the high street agent to do our conveyancing in Alnmouth. I am not happy. Could you help me find new conveyancers?

They would have to be very poor in order to consider diss instructing them. Has your mortgage offer been generated? If so you will need to inform them of the new contact details and get the offer are re-sent. Your conveyancer should be on the banks panel to avoid supplemental costs and frustration. So that should be your starting point. The search tool can assist you in finding a bank approved solicitor for your conveyancing in Alnmouth