It is is a decade since I bought my house in Bidford On Avon. Conveyancing solicitors have just been instructed on the sale but I am unable to find my title documents. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. First there is a chance that the deeds will be with the lender or they may still be with the solicitor who oversaw the purchase. Secondly the likelihood is that the property will be recorded at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors procuring up to date copy of the land registers. Nearly all conveyancing in Bidford On Avon relates to registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

We are buying a property in Bidford On Avon. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a conveyancer? At some point we will need to send money into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

My wife and I buying a end of terrace house in Bidford On Avon. Our aim is to convert the garage to a playroom at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve enquiries to see if these alterations are permitted?

Your solicitor should review the deeds as conveyancing in Bidford On Avon can occasionally identify restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of works or need the permission of another owner. Many additions require local authority planning consent and approval under the building regulations. Certain areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which often prevent or affect extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor ahead of any purchase.

I have instructed a Bidford On Avon conveyancer having checked that they are on the HSBC conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

HSBC will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually HSBC will appoint their own surveyor to do this, and you will have to pay for it. Remember that this is a valuation for mortgage purposes and not a survey. You may wish to consider appointing your own Bidford On Avon surveyor to carry out a survey or prepare a home buyers report on the property. It is up to you to satisfy yourself that the property is structurally sound before you buy it. If the survey or report reveals that building work is needed, you should tell your solicitor. You may wish to renegotiate with the seller.

My partner and I are downsizing from our property in Bidford On Avon and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being built on contaminated land. Any high street Bidford On Avon lawyer would know this is not the case. It does beg the question why the buyers instructed a national conveyancing firm as opposed to a conveyancing solicitor in Bidford On Avon. Having lived in Bidford On Avon for three years we know of no issue. Should we contact our local Authority to obtain confirmation that there is no issue.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same sickness)

I'm purchasing a new build house in Bidford On Avon with a mortgage from Leeds Building Society. The sellers would not budge the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not inform my solicitor about this deal as it could put at risk my mortgage with Leeds Building Society. 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.

I decided to have a survey carried out on a property in Bidford On Avon before instructing conveyancers. I have been told that there is a flying freehold element to the house. The surveyor has said that some banks tend not issue a mortgage on a flying freehold premises.

It varies from the lender to lender. Lloyds has different requirements for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can investigate further via the appropriate mortgage company. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can help as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Bidford On Avon. Conveyancing can be more complicated and therefore you should check with your conveyancing solicitor in Bidford On Avon to see if the conveyancing will be more expensive.