I require conveyancing for an apartment in a relatively new development (five years built) in Ashington. Almost all the properties are already occupied. Do I need carry out the neighbourhood searches as part of conveyancing in Ashington?

A big part of the Ashington legal transfer of property is the conveyancing searches. There are a large number of companies delivering Ashington conveyancing searches, as well direct from the local authority. These are known collectively as personal search companies due to them carrying out, personal searches. Nevertheless, all Local Authority Search conveyancing products have one thing in common - they must secure their data from the local authority.

We hope to to purchase with Darlington Building Society. I dropped in a few high street solicitors yet am struggling to find a Ashington conveyancing firm on the Darlington Building Society approved list. Can you assist?

You should make the most of the search tool on this web page. Pick the mortgage company and type Ashington or your location and you will see a number of lawyer located in Ashington or nearest you.

We are getting the release of further monies on our home loan from HSBC as we wish to carry out alterations to our house in Ashington. Are we obliged to choose a nearby Ashington solicitor on the HSBC conveyancing panel to deal with the paperwork?

HSBC don't usually appoint firms on their conveyancing panel to deal with such a matter. If they do require any legal work then you would need to ensure that such a lawyer was on the HSBC panel.

The mortgage over my property is with Nottingham for my property in Ashington. Conveyancing has been completed months ago. In the event that I decide to rent out my property and do not currently have a buy-to-let mortgage do I need to remortgage to a BTL mortgage or inform Nottingham?

You must advise Nottingham in advance of renting your property as this is likely to be a breach of Nottingham’s mortgage conditions. In many cases banks or building societies will allow you to rent out your former home without needing to switch to a buy-to-let mortgage but some lenders will add a surcharge to your mortgage rate to reflect the higher risk. You should contact Nottingham directly. It should not be necessary to do this via a Nottingham conveyancing panel lawyer.

It is not clear whether my mortgage offer obliges me to make sure the lease term for the flat is extended prior to the completion date. I have called into my local Ashington building society branch on numerous occasions and was told it wasn't a problem and they would lend. My Ashington conveyancing solicitor - who is on the mortgage company conveyancing panel- called to say that they refuse to lend in accordance with their published requirements. Who do I believe?

Provided that the solicitor is on the bank panel, she or he must adhere to the CML Handbook requirements for the bank. Unless your lawyer obtains specific confirmation in writing that the mortgage company will go ahead, your lawyer has no choice but to refrain from exchanging contract and committing you to the purchase. We would suggest that you ask the mortgage company to contact your lawyer in writing confirming that they will accept the number of years left on the lease.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, chain free conveyancing. Ashington is where the house is located. Can you offer any advice?

Flying freeholds in Ashington are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Ashington you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds diligently. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Ashington may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

Me and my wife are disposing of a Ashington property left to us some years ago in 2009. I have over a decades worth of conveyancing knowledge and, although retired, see no reason not to undertake my own conveyancing. The buyer's solicitor has informed me that their building society will not allow us to do our own conveyancing as they require the funds to be transferred to a solicitor's bank account.

Mortgage requirements to conveyancers from all CML members state that If the seller is not legally represented the borrower's lawyers should check whether the lender needs to be told so that a decision can be reached as to whether or not they are prepared to move forward.