I am need of leasehold conveyancing for an apartment in a fairly new development (6 years built) in Edenthorpe. Almost all the flats have already been sold. Is it really necessary to order neighbourhood searches for my conveyancing in Edenthorpe?

You are opening yourself up to an unnecessary risk in failing carrying out Edenthorpe conveyancing searches. Without searches you have no clarity over flooding, environmental etc which may mean you walk away due to potential problems down the line. If you are buying without a mortgage there is no legal necessity to have them, but we would absolutely advise in no uncertain terms that you have them. Where speed and driving down costs are top of your concerns you should discuss with your solicitor about the viability of search insurance

Please explain the implications if my solicitor is suspended from the HSBC Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Edenthorpe?

The first thing to point out is that, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit at a cost.

Will my solicitor be raising enquiries regarding flooding during the conveyancing in Edenthorpe.

Flooding is a growing risk for solicitors dealing with homes in Edenthorpe. There are those who acquire a house in Edenthorpe, completely aware that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a property is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or dispose of the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Solicitors are not qualified to impart advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous searches that can be undertaken by the purchaser or by their lawyers which will figure out the risks in Edenthorpe. The standard property information forms supplied to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a usual question of the vendor to discover whether the premises has suffered from flooding. If flooding has previously occurred which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a buyer may bring a claim for damages stemming from an incorrect reply. A purchaser’s lawyers may also carry out an enviro report. This should higlight if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, additional investigations should be conducted.

I am buying a new build house in Edenthorpe benefiting from help to buy. The developers refused to budge the price so I negotiated 6k of fixtures and fittings instead. The sale representative advised me not to tell my conveyancer about the extras as it would affect my loan with the bank. 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.

We're FTB’s - had an offer accepted, yet the estate agent informed us that the vendor will only issue a contract if we appoint the agent's chosen solicitors as they want an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor who is accustomed to conveyancing in Edenthorpe

We suspect that the owner is not behind this requirement. Should the seller desire ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine purchaser is counter productive. Contact the owners directly and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you do not need to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to use your own,trusted Edenthorpe conveyancing solicitors - rather thanthe ones that will provide their estate agent a referral fee or hit his conveyancing thresholds pre-set by HQ.