I'm buying my first flat in Birtley with the aid of help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not reveal to my conveyancer about this extras as it may put at risk my loan with the bank. 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.

How can the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 affect my commercial premises in Birtley and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to gives a safeguard to business tenants, giving them the right to apply to court for a renewal tenancy and continue in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refuse a lease renewal and the rules are complex. We are happy to direct you to commercial conveyancing firms who use the act to your advantage and help with commercial conveyancing in Birtley

My partner has suggested that I appoint his conveyancing solicitors in Birtley. Should I use them?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to find a conveyancing practitioner is to have referrals from friends or family who have experience in using the firm that you are contemplating using.

I have just started marketing my basement flat in Birtley. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed, however I have recently received a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay the maintenance contribution as normal because all rents and maintenance invoices should be apportioned as part of the financial calculations for completion monies, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the subsequent invoice date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I inherited a ground floor flat in Birtley, conveyancing was carried out December 1996. How much will my lease extension cost? Comparable flats in Birtley with a long lease are worth £202,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 levied per year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2082

With just 57 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £28,500 and £33,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

Been looking for a conveyancing practitioner for freehold sale conveyancing in Birtley. I'm selling, simple no mortgage to redeem, no rush, currently empty. Had a quote from a property lawyer for £900 plus VAT which is a tad steep considering its so straightforward. Is it possible to find less expensive fees for conveyancing in Birtley?

As it’s a sale only, £500 + VAT would be about the cheapest for sale conveyancing in Birtley.