AssumingI were to acquire a straightforward homein Eastwood for cash and have no survey and no conveyancing searches how much should I expect to have to pay for conveyancing in Eastwood?

The sole saving you would make on is the Eastwood conveyancing searches. A conveyancing practitioner still got to do everything else - money laundering, liaising with the sellers conveyancing practitioner, stamp duty return, register the ownership etc. You might save a bit for them not needing to register a mortgage but it won't be meaningful.

My aunt passed away last year and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Eastwood. The house had a relatively small loan left on it of around £5k. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Nationwide, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

If you plan to re-mortgage then Nationwide will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Nationwide conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Nationwide conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Nationwide mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

I have been told that property searches are the primary cause of delay in Eastwood conveyancing transactions. Is that correct?

The Council of Property Search Organisations (CoPSO) published conclusions of research by MoveWithUs that conveyancing searches do not feature amongst the most frequent causes of hindrances during the legal transfer of property. Local searches are not likely to feature in any delay in conveyancing in Eastwood.

I am purchasing my first flat in Eastwood with the aid of help to buy. The builders would not move on the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative suggested that I not reveal to my solicitor about the extras as it will adversely affect my mortgage with Alliance & Leicester . Do I keep my lawyer in the dark?.

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 thinking of appointing a conveyancing practitioner in Eastwood for my house move. Is there any facility to see a solicitor's complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

Members of the public may see published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For non-uk callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may recorded call for training requirements.