We were just about to exchange contracts for a leasehold flat in Crewe. We have hit a problem. Our loan offer with Accord Mortgages Ltd runs out on 12/6/2024 but the vendors are suggesting a completion date of 14/6/2024. Can one extend the loan offer?

The best person to address this issue is your solicitors who will hopefully calculate if they corresponding with the bank, owner’s representatives, estate agents or possibly all parties taking into account the history of your conveyancing to date.

It is 10 years ago since I bought my property in Crewe. Conveyancing lawyers have now been instructed on the sale but I am unable to locate my deeds. Is this a problem?

Don’t worry too much. First there is a chance that the deeds will be retained by your lender or they may be in the possession of the solicitor who acted in your purchase. Secondly in most cases the property will be registered at the land registry and you will be able to prove you own the property by your conveyancing solicitors procuring current official copies of the land registers. Most conveyancing in Crewe involves registered property but in the unlikely event that your home is unregistered it adds to the complexity but is resolvable.

I have a decision in principle. The bank mentioned the home loan came with free conveyancing. Does this mean I have to instruct their panel solicitor as I would much rather instruct a specialised conveyancing solicitor in Crewe?

Do check but the the likelihood is that give you one of their panel solicitors if you accept the "fee-free" deal. Contact the bank to check if they make available a cash alternative. Some banks have previously offered a £250 cashback as a further option in which case you could put that amount towards your preferred conveyancing solicitor in Crewe.

Should my lawyer be raising enquiries about flooding during the conveyancing in Crewe.

Flooding is a growing risk for conveyancers dealing with homes in Crewe. Some people will buy a property in Crewe, fully aware that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, satisfactory insurance cover, or dispose of the premises. There are steps that can be taken during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Lawyers are not best placed to give advice on flood risk, but there are a numerous checks that may be undertaken by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which should give them a better understanding of the risks in Crewe. The conventional set of information sent to a buyer’s solicitor (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) incorporates a standard question of the vendor to discover whether the premises has ever been flooded. If the residence has been flooded in past and is not revealed by the vendor, then a buyer may commence a compensation claim as a result of such an incorrect response. A buyer’s conveyancers will also carry out an environmental search. This will higlight if there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations should be conducted.

I am buying a new build house in Crewe with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The sale representative told me not to tell my conveyancer about this side-deal as it will put at risk my mortgage with the lender. Is this normal?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder 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.