My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the house in Guisborough. The house had a relatively small loan remaining of approximately £4500. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Virgin Money, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Given you intend to re-mortgage then Virgin Money will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Virgin Money 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 Virgin Money 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 Virgin Money mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

A relative suggested that where I am buying in Guisborough I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

A search of this type is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Guisborough conveyancing searches. It is a large report of more than thirty pages, listing and detailing important information about Guisborough around the property and the people living there. It includes an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the demographics of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average Property Price, Crime statistics, Guisborough Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information about Guisborough.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a property I put an offer in two weeks back in what should have been a simple, no chain conveyancing. Guisborough is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Guisborough are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Guisborough you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds thoroughly. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Guisborough may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

I was advised by a few property agents in Guisborough to select a property lawyer using your seach tool. What’s the financial advantage for Estate Agents to promote your services rather than alternative conveyancing organisations?

We don’t make any financial incentive for directing people our way. We thought it would be too underhand to pay a commission as members of the public would think, ‘Why is the agent getting a kickback? Why aren’t I receiving any benefit too?’ So we decided to step away from that.

Our conveyancing in Guisborough completes on Friday, yet the people I am purchasing from has asked to move out the next day at noon. Can I accept this?

If you require a loan then your lawyer will require that you have vacant possession on Friday - the mortgage company will demand it.