The Brynmawr conveyancing firm handling our Brynmawr conveyancing has spotted an inconsistency between the surveyor’s assumptions in the home valuation survey and what is in the conveyancing documents. My lawyer has advised that he must ensure that the bank is OK with this discrepancy and is still content to lend. Is my solicitor’s stance legitimate?

Your lawyer must comply with the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook requirements which do require that your lawyer disclose any incorrect assumptions in the lender’s valuation report and the legal papers. Should you refuse to allow your lawyer to make the appropriate notification then your lawyer will have no choice but to discontinue acting for both parties.

I am considering applying for a Yorkshire BS mortgage for purchase of a new build (under development) in Brynmawr with 65 per cent LTV. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Yorkshire BS ?

In theory, you could use a solicitor that is not on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel, but Yorkshire BS would require one of their panel solicitors to be instructed to act in their interests, and you'd have to pay for this - so most people instruct a panel solicitor. It's also easier, as otherwise you'd have to deal with two solicitors for the same conveyancing matter.

I am purchasing a new build house in Brynmawr with a loan from Barclays . The sellers would not move on the amount so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The property agent suggested that I not disclose to my conveyancer about the 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.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £195,000 and identified one near me in Brynmawr I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, however it's only got 49 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Brynmawr in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term may be an issue. Discount the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of 2 years you can request that they start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease and have £0 ground rent by law. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this matter.

To what extent are Brynmawr conveyancing solicitors duty bound by the Law Society to supply clear conveyancing costs?

Contained within the Solicitors Code of Conduct are prescriptive rules and regulations as to how the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) allow solicitors to publicise their charges to clients.The Law Society have a practice note giving advice on how to publicise transparent charges to avoid breaching any such rule. Practice notes are not legal advice issued by the Law Society and is not intended as the only standard of good practice a conveyancing solicitor should adhere to. The Practice Note does, however, represent the Law Society’s view of acceptable practice for publicising conveyancing charges, and accordingly it’s a recommended read for any solicitor or conveyancer in Brynmawr or further afield.