Do the Building Society Association intend to launch a search tool with a view to to identify practices on the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society conveyancing panel for example in Deeside?

We would not expect to be advised of any intention on the part of the BSA to promote such a register.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Deeside off the council. I have a mortgage offer with Yorkshire BS. Conveyancing is new to me. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?

It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Yorkshire BS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Yorkshire BS conveyancing panel.

After shopping around on the internet I have found a Deeside conveyancer having checked that they are on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. Does my lawyer arrange the survey of the property?

Virgin Money will need an independent valuation of the property. Your lawyer will not arrange this. Usually Virgin Money 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 Deeside 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.

At last I have had an offer on a maisonette in Deeside agreed to, but there is a chain. The sellers have offered on a flat, but it’s not yet agreed to, and have viewings of other properties booked. I have selected a local conveyancing solicitor in Deeside. What should be my next step? When should I get the mortgage application with Lloyds going?

It is usual to have anxieties where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to be too out of pocket prematurely (mortgage application is approx £1k, then valuation, Deeside conveyancing search charges, etc). First, you must ensure that your conveyancer is on the Lloyds approved list. Regarding the next phase this very much depends on the specifics of your case, desire for the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market many buyers will apply for the mortgage with Lloyds and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their solicitor to move forward with searches.

I am purchasing a new build house in Deeside with a mortgage from Birmingham Midshires. The sellers refused to reduce the price so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The house builders rep suggested that I not disclose to my conveyancer about this deal as it would impact 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.

I am looking for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one round the corner in Deeside I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, however it's only got 51 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Deeside in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you need a mortgage that many years will be an issue. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least twenty four months you may ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor concerning this matter.

My uncle purchased his flat in Deeside Six years ago. He has since got married, divorced and in recent months got married again. He now wishes to the sell the Deeside property. I suspect that he will simply be need to supply copies of the marriage certificates to the solicitor however he is anxious it will hold up the sale of the apartment. Should he appoint a solicitor to update the title documents for the property?

You are not required to update the title for the property as long as you have the proof needed to demonstrate how the change of name resulted.

The purchaser’s conveyancer should check the title information and ask for evidence to prove the change of name for instance marriage documentation.