We're in Downend, FTBs buying with a mortgage (lender is Nottingham , and our solicitor is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the Nottingham conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no property lawyer should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

Forgive me if this question is silly but I am unexperienced as FTB of a garden flat in Downend. Do I receive the keys to the house on completion from my solicitor? If so, I will use a High Street conveyancing solicitor in Downend?

There is no need to visit the lawyers office on the day of completion. Your solicitors will electronically transfer the purchase money to the owner’s conveyancers, and shortly after the monies have arrived, you will be called to collect the keys from the property Agents and move into your new home. Usually this happens between 1 and 3pm.

We had chosen conveyancers with offices in Downend on the Clydesdale solicitor approved list. They have just invoiced me an additional charge for handling the Clydesdale mortgage. Is this a supplemental conveyancing fee specified by Clydesdale?

Provided it is contained in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your lawyer can levy a fee for this. This charge is not set by Clydesdale but by your Downend conveyancer. Plenty of firms on the Clydesdale panel will levy ’dealing with mortgage’ fee and others do not.

The formalities of my purchase has taken place for my property in Downend. Conveyancing was of an acceptable standard but I feel I should register my dissatisfaction about the lender. How does one go about formally complaining?

Most lenders have complaints procedures. Your first point of contact should be one of the lender’s branches or the Customer Care Team at head office. Ordinarily complaints to a lender are sorted out effectively and efficiently. If you feel the matter is not resolved you can write to Financial Ombudsman Service with full details of your complaint.

I'm buying a new build house in Downend benefiting from help to buy. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of fixtures and fittings instead. The property agent advised me not to tell my conveyancer about this deal as it could adversely affect my mortgage with Chelsea Building Society. 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.

What is different about your site and other internet conveyancing brokers when it comes to conveyancing in Downend?

At this site receive a conveyancing costs illustration from a Solicitor or Licensed Conveyancer that has a full understanding of the nuances of your conveyancing in Downend. As opposed to estate agents and many comparison sites we do not have referral arrangements with solicitors. A large number of agents and online brokers 'recommend' solicitors who pay the highest kickback, as opposed to the best value conveyancing in Downend

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Downend 1st floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Downend conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Your lease governs relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; in particular, it will set out if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. Most leases in Downend do not contain strict prohibition on subletting – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. In most cases there is a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the tenancy agreement.

I purchased a 2 bed flat in Downend, conveyancing formalities finalised August 1995. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Downend with a long lease are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease terminates on 21st October 2087

With 64 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £14,300 and £16,400 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.