My partner and I are buying a new build flat in Bedford Hill and my lawyer is telling me that she has to the lender to disclose incentives from the developer. I am on a tight deadline to sign contracts and I don't want to prolong the conveyancing. is my lawyer playing by the book?

You should not exchange unless you have been advised to do so by your lawyer. A precondition to being on a bank panel is to comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook specifications. The CML Conveyancing Handbook requires that your lawyer have the appropriate Disclosure of Incentive form completed by the developer and accepted by your lender.

We wanted to use a conveyancing solicitor in Bedford Hill for our home move. Our financial adviser has since advised us that our mortgage company Barclays Direct won't deal with them. Surely this is unduly restrictive?

A mortgage company may require a panel solicitor act for it. Borrowers are liable to meet the charges for this. Please make use of our search facility to select a solicitor to carry conveyancing in Bedford Hill on the Barclays Direct conveyancing panel.

I am purchasing my first flat in Bedford Hill with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. The sellers would not reduce the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The property agent suggested that I not inform my solicitor about this extras as it will jeopardize my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. Is this normal?.

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.

I opted to have a survey carried out on a property in Bedford Hill ahead of appointing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold aspect to the house. My surveyor has said that some banks tend refuse to grant a loan on such a premises.

It varies from the lender to lender. HSBC has different instructions for example to Halifax. Should you wish to call us we can check with the relevant bank. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Bedford Hill. Conveyancing will be smoother if you use a solicitor in Bedford Hill especially if they regularly deal with such properties in Bedford Hill.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Bedford Hill which have about forty five years unexpired on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Bedford Hill. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the marketability of the lease deteriorates and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area.

I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Bedford Hill. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium due for a lease extension?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Bedford Hill conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Bedford Hill premises is First Floor Flat 152a Ramsden Road in June 2009. The net result of the tribunals calculation produced a premium payable of £23,975. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 56.67 years.