I am assisting my sister sell her flat in Appleton. Does the conveyancing solicitor commission an energy performance certificate or do I organise this?

After the demise of Home Packs, energy assessments remained a required component of moving house. An energy assessment must be to hand in advance of the property being advertised. It is not as aspect of the sale process that conveyancers normally organise. If you are using a Appleton conveyancing practitioner they may be willing to arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with long established Appleton energy assessors

Is there a list of RBS panel solicitors in Appleton on the Council of Mortgage Lender’s Website?

Unfortunately not yet. There is no such tool on the CML or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of lending institutions make their panel listings visible online. Where you are looking for a Appleton lawyer on the RBS please use our tool.

We had instructed solicitors based in Appleton on the Kent Reliance solicitor panel. They have just billed me an additional amount for dealing with the Kent Reliance mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Kent Reliance?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer is entitled to charge a fee for this. This charge is not set by Kent Reliance but by your Appleton lawyer. Numerous firms on the Kent Reliance panel will charge an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms include it on their overall fee.

I'm buying my first flat in Appleton benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not budge the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about this side-deal as it will impact my loan with the lender. Is this normal?.

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.

Taking into account that I will soon part with £400,000 on a terraced house in Appleton I would like to have a conversation with the lawyer concerning thehouse move ahead of appointing the firm. Can this be arranged?

We could not agree more - we would be delighted to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you speaking to the solicitor due to be conducting your conveyancing in Appleton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important person, not a matter number. The law firms that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are provided with for residential conveyancing in Appleton should be the amount on the final invoice that you are charged.

Am I better off to choose a Appleton conveyancing practitioner based in the vicinity that I am buying? An old friend can deal with the legal formalities but her office is over three hundred miles drive away.

The benefit of a local Appleton conveyancing practice is that you can visit the firm to execute documents, deliver your ID and apply pressure on them if necessary. Having local Appleton know how is a benefit. However it's more important to get someone that will pull out all the stops for you. If if people you trust used your friend and they were content that must trump using an unknown Appleton conveyancing lawyer solely due to them being round the corner.

I am thinking of instructing an online property lawyer rather than a Appleton conveyancing practice. Any advice?

There are advantages of being able to attend a local Appleton conveyancing solicitor for example

• signing papers on short notice
• having face-to-face explanations of issues you don't understand
• the ability to complain if matters need to addressed

When checking fees, look carefully for hidden extras. Most decent Appleton high street solicitors give an all-inclusive figure. Often online companies appear to offer cheap prices, but have burried 'extras' in the in the terms and conditions.