A colleague pointed out to me me that in buying a property in Cambridgeshire there may be various restrictions preventing external changes to a property. Is this right?

We are aware of a number of properties in Cambridgeshire which have some sort of restriction or requirement of consent to execute external alterations. Part of the conveyancing in Cambridgeshire should determine what restrictions are applicable and advising you as part of a ROT that should be sent to you.

I am aiming to move property in October. Will my conveyancing solicitor communicate with the removal company on the completion day. Incidentally, can you put forward a removal company in Cambridgeshire. Conveyancing solicitor was organised prior to coming across this website.

On the afternoon of completion you will need to collect the house keys from the property agent however this can only occur after the vendors conveyancers advise the agent that they have the completion monies and the keys can be released. You should advise the removal men that you are ready to move in. As a matter of policy we do not suggest a particular removal organisation but can assist you in locating a conveyancing in Cambridgeshire or a legal practice with expertise in conveyancing in Cambridgeshire.

Is there a list of HSBC panel solicitors in Cambridgeshire on the Building Society Association’s Website?

No. There is no such directory service on the Council of Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association websites. A small selection of mortgage companies make their panel listings viewable over the internet. If you are in need of a Cambridgeshire solicitor on the HSBC please use our tool.

I am buying a property and the conveyancer has identified Chancel Repair for which the property could be obligated to contribute to because it falls into the area of such a church. He has recommended insurance. Is this really warranted for conveyancing in Cambridgeshire

Unless a prior purchase of the property completed post 12 October 2013 you can assume that conveyancing practitioners handling conveyancing in Cambridgeshire to remain recommending a chancel search and or chancel repair liability insurance.

I am buying my first flat in Cambridgeshire benefiting from help to buy. The builders would not budge the price so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The house builders rep advised me not disclose to my lawyer about the extras as it could jeopardize my loan with the lender. 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.

Is it best to appoint a Cambridgeshire conveyancing solicitor based in the vicinity that I am buying? I have an old university friend who can perform the legal work however they are based over three hundred kilometers away.

The benefit of a local Cambridgeshire conveyancing practice is that you can drop in to execute paperwork, deliver your ID and pester them if necessary. Having local Cambridgeshire know how is a plus. However it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and on the whole were happy that should outweigh using an unknown Cambridgeshire conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being Cambridgeshire based.

Are there common deficiencies that you see in leases for Cambridgeshire properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Cambridgeshire. All leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

A duty to insure the building A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the building

A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Halifax, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Platform Home Loans Ltd all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to pull out.

I bought a split level flat in Cambridgeshire, conveyancing having been completed 6 years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Equivalent properties in Cambridgeshire with a long lease are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2093

With only 70 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.