It is a dozen years since I acquired my home in Berkshire. Conveyancing lawyers have recently been appointed on the sale but I can't find my deeds. Is this a problem?

You need not be too concerned. First the deeds may be retained by your mortgage company or they may stored with the lawyers who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the land will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you are the registered owner by your conveyancing lawyers obtaining up to date copy of the land registers. Almost all conveyancing in Berkshire relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is not registered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

Is there a search tool that I can utilise to check that the solicitor handling my conveyancing in Berkshire is on the mortgage lender’sconveyancing panel? I am looking to avoid the situation of having one lawyer for me and one for HSBC Bank thus paying £175.00 in supplemental conveyancing bill.

You should take advantage of the search tool on this page. Please choose the lender and type ‘Berkshire’ or your location and you will be presented with a number of lawyer based in Berkshire or by proximity to you.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified as part of conveyancing in Berkshire?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Berkshire. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

I am buying a new build flat in Berkshire. Conveyancing is necessary evil at the best of times but I have never purchased a new build flat before. What sort of enquires would be asked in new build conveyancing.

Set out below are examples of a selection of leasehold new build questions that you may expect your new-build leasehold conveyancing in Berkshire

Will the freehold then be transferred for a nominal consideration (not exceeding £100) to the Management Company? Where service of notices and proceedings can be at the property demised please confirm that this can be amended to include simultaneous services at the Lessees’ solicitors’ offices where the Lessee from time to time is not resident in the UK - such solicitors may be varied by notice in writing to the Landlord from time to time but otherwise will be as previously specified. Forfeiture - bankruptcy or liquidation must not apply under this provision. If there are lifts in the building, please confirm that the owners of flats on the ground and basement floors will not be required to contribute towards the cost of maintenance and renewal. Investor purchasers must be able to freely grant unsecured tenancies at market rents without requiring any consents.

Been looking for a conveyancer for freehold sale conveyancing in Berkshire. I'm selling, simple no mortgage to pay off, no rush, no onward chain. Got a quote from a conveyancing practitioner for nine hundred pounds excluding VAT which is a little steep considering its so straightforward. Can I pay less for conveyancing in Berkshire?

Given that it’s a sale only, 475 + VAT is likely to be about the lowest for a Berkshire solicitor firm.